A Hopeful Mountain

One thing I’ve learned is that people often tell you more about themselves through the motives they assign to you than through the things they actually say.

I have encouraged people to pursue opportunities and watched them walk away from them. Later, instead of owning that decision, the encouragement itself became the problem.

I’ve spent time, energy, and resources creating experiences for people I care about, only to find out that someone else viewed those same actions as a competition.

That has always been strange to me.

When I encourage someone, it isn’t because I’m trying to make them feel inadequate. When I spend time with people I love, it isn’t because I’m trying to make someone else look bad. When I help someone, it isn’t because I’m keeping score.

Not everything is a strategy. Not everything is manipulation. Not everything is a competition.

Sometimes a gift is just a gift.

Sometimes encouragement is just encouragement.

Sometimes kindness is simply kindness.

What I’ve learned is that if someone is determined to see your actions through a lens of jealousy, insecurity, or competition, there isn’t much you can do to change that. They will find motives that were never there.

At some point, you stop defending your intentions and start accepting that other people’s interpretations belong to them.

I know why I do the things I do.

The people who truly know me know too.

And that’s enough.