Clearing the Air

My boss and I had a followup conversation yesterday during the time allotted for our weekly check-in meeting. As it turns out she had misheard or misunderstood about 97% of what I'd been saying for the last two weeks, which of course, caused her to react to me out of what she thought she understood.

I still think that inherent prejudices in both of us (for I have my own, though not necessarily race-based) caused us each to come to the proverbial table ready to misunderstand each other. It's something to be mindful of. Every experience prior to the one in which you currently find yourself has made you predisposed to a given set of expectations. Every other person you've met has created a template in your mind for the person you're dealing with now. You have to be proactive and ask yourself "What exactly was said here? Am I hearing this person through the filter of conversations I've had with my mother?" Etcetera, etcetera.

I felt so relieved, yet this has been an object lesson I'll never forget. From now on, I won't be taking it for granted that everyone can handle unadulterated candor. And I can stand to watch how I present information, even if it's valid, I can help the perception more often than not. The Bible says that "Calmness can lay great errors to rest," that "a soft answer turns away wrath..." I kept both sentiments uppermost in my mind this week.

I bought myself a spinach feta croissant for breakfast and some tulips for my office from Wholefoods this morning--because I feel like i've earned an overpriced pastry and some flowers that herald the coming of Spring. See, the winter is past....