Laws of Ma'at 12

I relate with understanding.

One of the biggest challenges of being human is relating with others.

Spoken language is imprecise. Words fail us when we try to speak about a topic that carries an emotional charge for us. Despite supposedly speaking the same language, words have different connotations for different individuals due to the time and place in which they were raised, their family of origin, and their own experiences.

Written language can be even more vague. Consider how often a written phrase meant to be satirical is misunderstood to be a serious commentary on the situation; relationships have been damaged by misunderstanding the intent behind the words.

We can approach these challenges best by maintaining our own awareness of the imprecision of language. We can seek to choose our words carefully, understanding that our listeners or readers may perceive our words differently than we intend. We can seek to understand the perspective of our listeners or readers in order to present our thoughts in a way that will be most clearly understood. When misunderstanding occurs, we can clarify our thoughts rather than become defensive. When we are the listener or reader, we try to put aside our own baggage to hear the intent of the speaker/author and take from it what is useful to us.

When we seek to relate to each other with the goal of understanding, we avoid many of the pitfalls that are inherent with the use of language.

When we relate with understanding, we help to create a more open community where all are free to express their experiences and reflections without anxiety and fear.