Are you going through a period where you just feel misunderstood or that people just don’t understand your point even when you are doubly sure that you are right? At this point of argument and frustration what exactly do you do?
“A story is told about two pupils, in elementary school who got into an argument. Both Tina and Steve were convinced that he/she was right and that the other was wrong. The teacher decided to teach them a lesson and asked them both, to stand in front of the class; Tina to the left and Steve to the right. She then put a round object on the table and asked them what colour the object was; Steve claimed the object was white, while Tina said black. This created a heated argument on whether the object was black or white.
To end the argument, the teacher asked them to switch places. She once again asked them what the colour of the round object was. This time round, Steve said the object was black and Tina said the object was white. How could this be? It was an object with two differently coloured sides, depending on where you were standing, it was either black or white.” Is it black or white? Or perhaps it is your point of view that makes all the difference?
Many a time we have engaged in arguments with a spouse, a friend, a parent or a child on a topic. It is quite normal to insist on our point of view especially if, like Tina and Steve, everything looks clearly white or black so from my end, it is quite absurd when the other person says otherwise. However, how many times have we taken time to see things from the other person’s perspective?
I am not saying that you are wrong to say it is ‘black’ or ‘white’, but the truth is, you will never agree or have a win/win situation unless you switch places and look at things from the other person’s point of view. How about we have it as a challenge that each time you disagree with someone, rather than arguing based on who is right and who is wrong, you just shift your perspective and look at it from the other person’s angle? Remember, the ‘object’ (issue) may have two or more differently coloured sides depending on your point of view. To read more posts by Mercy, click HERE
