Understanding? Part II ...

Wednesday, August 17, 2011. We are talking about understanding each other and how it could be achieved. It is a very important topic - and it is a topic which is of relevance in our daily life on all levels. We need understanding at school or at our workplace. We need understanding in our family and with friends. We need understanding in our partnership …!

Character and Preferences …

There are several important elements to address. There is character! Character is the way we live, the way we approach tasks and the way we react. Character summarizes a whole bunch of features into one or several terms. There are people who are initiatie, self-confident, shy, competitive, …

Also, there are the preferences which we choose for our life. Many of our preferences are deeply rooted in our character. We do not really have a choice. On the other hand we can always shape our own character to some extent by making choices and developing habits. We are not bound to be, human freedom gives us the possibility to make choices and carry them out - with lasting consequences!

There are many models of human reaction patterns which can be helpful to gain a better understanding of another person. Why is Phil always reacting by running away, when he could well stay and face the difficulties? It can be one of the main reaction patterns which Phil has developed …! Why is Sophie always trying to be special? It is one of her main patterns she is using to explore the world …!

Act to support others! …

Jesus asks us to support each other. He wants us to understand, and to act in a way which is good for one another. He even asks us to support people we do not understand, even those who do not act according to his will: love your enemies!

How do you support people with very particular patterns of behaviour which might cause difficulties - like some addiction or dependency? The command is not to accept every nonsense or addiction! The command is to love, which also means to take the problems serious which arise from the addiction or particular behavioral patterns. We are asked to work on them, to be there and sincerely search for solutions. Than can mean to ask for help from professionals! They often know better, how to react and lead people out of damaging behaviour …

It is quite an adventure to understand each other. We are different … there are many different character features! Understanding each other also means to learn a lot about the way someone else sees the world, approaches his challenges and works on his difficulties. Our characters are very rich and exciting … a world by its own! ... more texts