Assumptions
Assumptions...they're just a way of life. Most of us make them all day long everyday. Overall, I would say the tend to be harmless. We make assumptions about the people we drive by or drive by us, the servers at a restaurant, or the guy at the checkout lane. Most of the time we make these assumptions and never see the person again or if we do the assumption doesn't stick and we form a new one the next time we see them.
However, when assumptions begin to enter our daily relationships. They can cause major problems. These assumptions are necessarily bad. They keep us alert to changes in people and allow us to predict behavior, but when the assumptions go unchecked things can go badly.
Now I realize that I have never been great at this but over the past few years I have worked hard to never let assumptions cloud how I treat people but I also know that I have done it. Recently I have worked harder than ever to never let my assumptions cloud the way I treat people.
The problem is it feels like peoples assumptions about me are stronger than anything I can do to change them. Just cause I make a comment about not liking something doesn't mean I wont do it. Friendships/relationships are about sacrifice and to assume that I won't make sacrifices for my friends puts friendship in jeopardy. I realize I am not always easy to get along with but please dont assume that I just don't want to do something because I don't like it.
Also please don't assume that just cause I act like I am strong, that I don't need people to ask me if I'm doing ok. Even if I don't give you a straight answer just asking that question in seriousness can change my day entirely. I may be fairly strong when it comes to life but that doesn't mean that I don't get hurt and I don't have problems, it just means I am better at hiding them and handling them. Yet there are some that I don't handle well or some that I wont' be able to handle alone.
So I guess this post is two fold. One don't assume that I won't make sacrifices for my friends and two don't assume I am so strong that I don't need people cause I do. (Even if sometimes I act like I don't).
I am learning to keep my assumptions in check. Can you say the same thing?