Understanding
For S.

Why does it surprise you that in certain situations I say I understand you, what you do, what you feel, and then, in a similar situation, I often do the opposite? My understanding of you has to do with looking at you, where you've been, what moves you, and with basing my feelings for your situation on YOU. It has nothing to do with who I am, with what moves ME. You and I do not share the same heritage, did not experience the same things. So why should our reactions always be the same? Understanding you does not mean I must be like you, think like you. Understanding you means I do not judge you. I do not expect you to be like me. Why do you fight me when I am not like you? Why are you so caught in your pre-fabricated views that you cannot understand me? You say that if more people saw the world, life, in black and white, not permitting shades of grey, maybe the world would be a happier place. I say it would not. Because if we all had fixed, never to be shaken viewpoints (which would not be the same for all of us) on all things, how many more wars would there be? How many more killed in the name of honour, of love, of whatever? How many more unhappy souls on this earth? That at least some of the people have tolerance and understanding within them helps, I believe, to make the world liveable. Think about it. Understanding.

Alabama

Last modified on Sunday, 7. March 1999