8/6

In the heat of the moment, criticism—thoughtful, constructive, or neither, and judged on the basis of its intrinsic validity alone—feels like an attack on our identity, our values, our conception of truth.

But if we take a mere moment to step back—it's probably the most generous thing someone can ever offer us; they offer a chance to find clarity, revelation, to look beyond the confines of our biased perceptions and the echoing chambers of our mind. How can we turn down such an opportunity? An opportunity that exhorts us to remember that the life that you or I live is not merely what you or I personally make of it; it is what we make of it, how we can live out our best lives, how we can construct meaning, engender love, and craft community.