Perspective

I will easily cop to the charge that I am one of those "on the other hand" kinds of people, with about six "other hands." I can almost always see other people's points of view, seemingly to the detriment of having a point of view of my own. So seeing a situation from other perspectives is nothing new for me. What I guess I never realized is that, while I can certainly comprehend other perspectives, I do internally "vote" on the one(s) I think is (are) the "right" or "best" ones.

In other words, I can see what you mean while still thinking you're an idiot, without realizing that I'm thinking that. Ah, the joys of self-delusion....

This is all to say that sometimes, not often, really seeing things from another perpective happens with something akin to being picked up by a transporter beam and forcibly moved across space. The whole landscape changes, the ground underneath basic assumptions shifts and -- aha --that's what's behind door number 3!

I had this experience over the weekend with the Beast. We were discussing, heatedly, the PA situation. I was doing the Girl Thing of getting cranked up because "he sounded angry." He was doing the Boy Thing of differentiating being angry about the situation and not being upset with me about it, except for the fact that I was taking his comments personally. We were well down the road of "I don't like your tone!" and "Let me finish that thought, please!" and "Don't talk to me that way!!"

I was thinking that Beast would never, ever talk to anyone the way he was talking to me when I suddenly got sucked into that transporter and ended up standing across the room looking at the whole construct with wholly different eyes: No, he wouldn't talk to anyone else that way. Because he trusts that I'm strong enough and mature enough to handle Home Truths. He knows I won't take the cheater way out and avoid talking to him about stuff the way an acquaintance might if he got really intense. In a weird way, the fact that he's willing to talk about it and take the time to explain his position is a gigantic compliment. He could just shut up and stew. It would be easier. [It's always easier not to talk to me when one of us feels strongly about something!]

The g-force on my emotions was pretty strong. I went from the verge of pissed off to excited and happy (and weepy, because that's also part of talking about anything serious for me!) in about 5 seconds, much to Beast's confusion, and ultimate relief.

I was actually surprised he didn't hear the audible click-clunk as the tumblers in my mind realigned themselves.

It's great the way the mind works. We truly are fearfully and wonderfully made (sometimes at the same time).