Say what you mean, mean what you say...

I learned today that sometimes it's hard to say what you need to say to someone because of the fear that what you need to say could be taken as hurtful or upsetting. In the course of a training seminar on a completely unrelated topic, the presenter said that he felt the key to knowing when you love someone is being able to tell them anything and not be afraid to be criticized. I guess that's partly true. But I think there's more to it.

I think the key to knowing when you love someone is when you can really hear what they are saying to you. I mean really hear it, and not cloud it with self doubt, anxiety or judgment. Just opening up your mind and heart and taking in what they say and realizing that as scary as that moment may have felt, it was a good moment. It was a great moment. And in the end, it was a moment of deep communication and emotional sharing that just brought you closer together than before.

I don't think I've ever had a moment like that before.