Be in the same context together

The wonder of it. Your worldview is not mine. Mine is not yours. No two are the same. 

Imagine that. Two or more people looking at exactly the same thing and seeing differently.

This morning I was sitting with my love nearly one kilometre off the beach, the place where, after the Cyclone from early March, the sandbanks are. Big thick waves. Probably close to 20 feet. 

My love said to paddle straight. So I paddled straight for the beach. And he said, why are you going left? 

My context was guided by the beach, the shore. His context was guided by the direction of the wave, which was towards the right.

Same conversation, different context.

Or, the right conversation in the wrong context is the wrong conversation.

The innocent source of so much misunderstanding.

On the second wave, my love pointed out the direction I should aim for. And the penny dropped. My go-straight and his go-straight were guided by a different compass.

The first step is to be sure we are both in the same context. The same conversation, with the same structure. 

This simple, yet profound step, is the one most ignored. Until we cannot even find each other in context.

Step back. Take a breath. Be in the same context together. 

Photo April 17th 2025, Article written April 17th 2025