biases

I am often surprised by my own biases. I have strived to be fair-minded, to be inquisitive, ever mindful that I may not have all the facts that go into someone else's decisions. Yet, as of late, I find myself reacting more readily as opposed to taking a step back. It is a frightening place to be when I realize just how treacherous and judgemental my thoughts can be. 

Here I am formulating an opinion based upon a fraction captured in a singular moment in time, and it clouds my ability to perceive the whole. It is particularly poisonous, that false sense of insight. 

Understanding is an art, it takes patience, and a constant reminder to oneself "what do they know that I know not?" It involves being open and receptive to the idea there is more than meets the eyes. 

There is so much to understand, that needs to be understood, and it creates a huge margin for misunderstanding. Yet, if we take a moment to reflect on our biases, to say "wow, my frame of reference was invalid, or does not acknowledge your reality", think of the relationships we could have salvaged, the friendships we could have, the possibilities of expanding our experiences beyond what we know.