We forget that our mothers, fathers, siblings, cousins, waiters, tellers, used car sellers all have a camera following them. When we aren't present to witness it they are having thoughts and experiences every bit as real as our own. When we see a person older, or younger, than ourselves can we instantly be aware of all the experiences that brought them to this moment and will carry them on? Okay it's maybe mot possible to hold ALL of their experiences in our head but what are we able to do for ourselves? For OUR experiences? We can't hold all that in our head either, but the fact that they are our experiences allows us to get ourselves in ways we don't often get others.
Though we can't get all someones experiences in our brains and have them make us 'see' them as we know ourselves, I believe it's possible to change how we regard others if we pause and just acknowledge that the person we are talking to, seeing a video of, remembering... they have a host of things that shaped and are still shaping them.
Oh, I know, dear reader, that you KNOW all this; but you probably don't really. Not unless you can stop and think about it, being present 'in the moment'.
Its a worthy meditation.
