So what are you thinking? Communication has been a big issue this last month. Lack of the use of it, and the over reliance on assumption has caused a myriad of problems for me that could have been solved just by my asking a few simple if possibly embarrassing questions. Don Miguel Ruiz in the wonderful The Four Agreements implores us to never assume anything. I have learned through experience how important a principle this is. In one instance this month, I assumed someone shared certain feelings that I had, based on nothing more than comments, outward actions and body language. I was devastated to find out that this person was definitely not on the same page! Also, I was confronted by someone who had made several assumptions about my attitude toward them based on one small aspect of my behavior. They had no idea that this behavior was not intended as a personal slight to them, but was an outward manifestation of all the personal stress and emotional strain I was going through. Both of these incidents could have been avoided if more questions were asked in the course of the relationship, and answered in open honest ways. One can never know exactly what another person is thinking, feeling, or experiencing. We may think we know, but this impression is based on our own experiences and knowledge, not that of the other person. We all carry around our individual perceptions of reality, and they are ALWAYS different from someone else's perception because our backgrounds, upbringing, influences, experiences and thought processing are all unique to each of us. Anyway, I recommend picking up Don Miguel's Four Agreements and his new book The Voice of Knowledge for a more eloquent version of this topic. They are both hightly recommended!