People often talk about understanding and relating to people like they have known them for years. I think thats hard to do unless the person himself/herself is so transparent and easy to relate to. When they want to accept you, as you are with all your imperfections and failures. A lot of people talk about reading people like a book. But does any one really have the patience to do so? Do people really like to treat people that way? Do we really ever care to put ourselves in another person's spot and see the world view as they would? Do people even really consider doing it. Try this exercise for once. Think of the person closest to you, who really cares for you and is there for you. and then, close your eyes. And visualize yourself from that person's perspective. A totally objective view. Visualize yourself doing what you normally do, talking how you normally talk. And see yourself. Observe your body language, tone and your thinking. This exercise helps in may ways. Understanding your thinking...yourself more objectively, less emotionally and yet with a lot of care. It makes you see the world from someone else's perspective. It teaches us compassion and respect for other's views. It is easy to think you understand it, but it really is very different to feel those things. You probably gain a lot more because you experience the trials and tribulations of life without actually facing any of them in real life. A valuable tool to improve yourself and experience things by feeling them in your mind, but not . Much like immersing yourself in a movie or a book, only you are the actor, and you are the audience. The emotions you are feeling and the problems you are facing are real and yet not real. See how you stand up to the test...spread your wings and test your strength. Its never easy. Try it out and you will see what I am trying to say. Trust me it can be pretty hard, specially when that someone is having a hard time.

Coming back to my original thought that had me started on this post. Its hard to read a person like a book. No one ever as the patience to read every page...to walk through to the last page.No one even lasts that long. There is no dictionary to help and no one to explain. The only way is to listen and accept the person in an unbiased manner. Instill in him/her the trust to open every page of his thoughts to you without fear of rejection and misunderstanding...till then. Before you ever claim to understand what a person means or says, stop for a moment, take a deep breath and do the exercise above. Reach out to the people around you and show you care....by sharing their tears and smiles for a few moments. A moment of your time is the most priceless gift you can give anyone...and it takes courage and a great big heart to do so.

So much for now.