How many people do you really like?

A young man accused me last week (in writing, not in person) of mistaking him for being more intellectual than he is. Than he thinks he is. I am unshaken in my belief that he is clever and enthusiastic and funny and capable. He will find as he gets older that he is not only not smarter than lots of the people he would dismiss today, he is also smarter than he thinks he is.

It is rare for me to meet anyone who is open to learning and not like them.

When was the last time you looked around and noticed how many people you really like? It goes against our hard-wiring: we are more easily able to notice the people who hurt us, the people who endanger us, the people who make us afraid. We like the people we like without thinking about it. Sometimes we like them without thinking about them.

Think about them. Let yourself notice that even though nobody is perfect and there are things you would change, you like lots of people. Just as they are. Just as you are.

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