IF YOU REALLY WANT TO KNOW SOMEONE
Watch for the things that make them smile. And notice how they have many smiles, some secret, some knowing, some wide, some filled with so much joy that comes straight from the heart.
One of those smiles will be a smile just for you and you alone.
IF YOU REALLY WANT TO KNOW SOMEONE
Ask them about the stories they have written, there is much of them within those words. Ask them too about journeys they’ve taken, the people who made an impact on their way and the words that stayed with them ever since. Talk until the wee small hours and drink in their every word.
IF YOU REALLY WANT TO KNOW SOMEONE
Walk with them in nature away from all the distraction and the crowds. Do they look down at the flowers or up at the sky. These things matter. Do they become subdued surrounded by the beauty of the planet or do they become energised, or both? It’s a part of who they are and if you are interested, it is fascinating.
IF YOU REALLY WANT TO KNOW SOMEONE
Watch… and learn to recognise the signs of anxiety hidden away, of sadness or loneliness or feeling insecure. Do they lash out when they are unsure or do they squirrel themselves away for safety? Do they criticise you because it is themselves that they are doubting? You need to know it all. You will never stop learning, a human is a complex being.
IF YOU REALLY WANT TO KNOW SOMEONE
Listen, really listen and look. Look past everything that you see, it’s much further than that…
It’s in the tv shows they secretly record, the way they enjoy a meal, the words they choose to reprimand themselves with.
It’s in the holidays they desire, the dreams they tell you about in the rush of the morning, the fears they mutter when they are opening up.
It’s in the way they walk around a city, the buildings they admire or the scenarios that warm their heart or touch a nerve.
It’s in the books they choose from a shelf, the music they play when they are alone, the treats they allow themselves and the rituals they have gathered along the way.
It’s in the way they talk to their car, the way they drive, the animals they are drawn to and the babies they make smile whilst waiting in a line.
It’s in the memories of their childhood birthdays, their first kiss and the defining moments.
It’s in their tears, their laughter, their touch and their hugs.
It’s in their cross accusations and their warm words of affection, their losses and their loves.
It’s in their wins, their failures, their lessons and their plans.
If you really want to know someone, no detail is too small and be prepared to learn for a lifetime.
Donna Ashworth
LPIO 2018
