Relationships: Wandering Thought #236:
To have great relationships with others requires knowing how to relate – to their similarities with appreciation, and to their differences with respect.
While it is easy to appreciate positive similarities, the challenge is to ‘appreciate’ how others’ negative similarities are really like ours too. While it is easy to respect positive differences, the challenge is to ‘respect’ how others’ differences negative to us could seem like our differences negative to them too.
Without relating to anyone’s similarities and differences at all, we will stop learning to become persons more complete with compassion and wisdom. Great relationships help us to grow in these virtues. This is what makes them truly great.