I believe that things happen for a reason. People do things for a reason. Sometimes we may know what that reason is; often times we don't. Many times we will assume to know why, and while we may be right, we may also be wrong.
I sat in on a conversation recently where someone relayed a story involving the relationship between a husband and wife. The reason behind the wife's actions in this specific situation were not known, but I found it extremely interesting that several people participating in the discussion immediately perceived those reasons to be of a negative nature.
There are always at least two sides to a story, even if you may consider them to be the right and the wrong side. Before passing judgment on someone or something, stop and think for a moment about the possibilities. You may have one thought in mind -- so what is an opposing viewpoint? Is it reasonable? Is it possible? Why not? What is preventing you from looking at the situation in that manner?
As I was mulling over what type of a picture to use to illustrate this article, I asked my daughter how she would visually describe "making an assumption"; she said it made her think of a cat. "You think a cat will do one thing but then it does something completely different from what you expected. It may look very cute and friendly, like it won't scratch or bite, but then it does."
Interesting perspective.
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Remember...
We make assumptions when we don't have all of the information we need. What is a good way to obtain information? Ask questions! Would you prefer to have people ask you questions to clarify a situation or your reason for doing something, or would you like them to make their own assumptions? |
