The Two Mirrors of Relationship
How we see others—and
how we act toward them—is shaped not only by how they treat us, but also by how
much we value them.
Consider the
salesperson who views a customer as “difficult.” If they focus on the
complaints, they may avoid calls or respond with reluctance. But if they recognise
that the customer is essential—the paymaster—they’ll find ways to listen,
adapt, and retain them.
Every day,
professionals work hard to retain customers with whom they have no personal
ties. Why? Because they recognise the value of the relationship.
Now, reflect on your
own life.
How often have we
lost patience with family, friends, or neighbours? How many connections have
weakened or broken because we didn’t pause to see the person’s worth in our
world?
Yet when we truly
value someone, our behaviour shifts. Our patience deepens. We listen more
intently. Empathy grows.
Think of a
relationship you’ve lost. Ask yourself, “What could I have done differently?”
That awareness may not restore what’s gone, but it can become a guiding light
for relationships now in turmoil—helping you choose understanding over
reaction, and repair over retreat.
Life, in many ways,
is a journey shared with fellow travellers. We often offer kindness more freely
to strangers—a warm conversation with a seatmate on a train, knowing we may
never meet again. But what if we saw every person in our life as someone travelling
with us, even if only for a season? What if we asked:
What can they bring
to my life? What can I offer to theirs?
This simple shift in
perspective doesn’t just change how we treat others—it transforms how we move
through the world.
We are all, always, in a relationship.
And sometimes, the most important thing we can do
is remember the value of the person in front of us—before the journey carries
them away.
M.L.Narendra Kumar
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