Understanding Isn't the Same as Healing
Sometimes, understanding someone becomes the reason you keep tolerating the things that hurt you. You understand their struggles, their past experiences, their fears, and the pain they carry. You know why they shut down, push people away, struggle to communicate, or have difficulty showing up for others. So, you become patient. You give them the benefit of the doubt. You make room for their flaws because you know they are fighting battles you may never fully understand. But in trying so hard to understand them, you might forget to understand yourself. You begin questioning whether you're asking for too much. You convince yourself to be more patient, more forgiving, and more understanding. You minimize your own feelings because you know the other person is struggling, too. And slowly, their pain becomes the explanation for yours. But here's something worth remembering: understanding why someone hurts you doesn't mean their actions hurt any less. This applies to every kind of...