This week, let’s look at a story from the European tradition.

A story about being so sure we’re right, and what changes when we’re willing to see the other side.

Let’s dive in...

Two travelers were walking along the same road, one from each end...

And their paths crossed in the middle, right where a warrior’s shield hung from a tree by the side of the road.

So they stopped, curious about whose shield it was.

The first traveler looked at it and said, “That’s a beautiful golden shield.”

“Golden?” said the second traveler. “It’s silver.”

They laughed at first, thinking the other was joking.

But when they looked again, each of them was still sure of what he saw.

“I can see it clearly, it’s gold,” said the first.

“And I can see it just as clearly, it’s silver,” said the second.

Soon the laughing stopped, and their voices got louder.

Each of them felt the other was refusing to see what was right in front of him.

Finally the first traveler said, “Let’s try something.”

“You stand where I’m standing and look again.”

The second traveler didn’t want to...

But he hesitantly walked over and stood on the other side of the shield.

He looked at it and his face changed.

“It’s gold,” he said.

And then the first traveler stepped over to where the second had been standing and looked at the shield.

“And from here it’s silver,” he said.

And all along, the shield had been gold on one side and silver on the other.

Have you ever been so sure about something that you couldn’t imagine anyone seeing it differently?

It can happen in arguments with the people we love.

In disagreements at work...

And also in the opinions we’ve held for years.

And when someone sees it another way, it’s easy to think that they’re simply wrong.

But look at the two travelers in the story.

Both were looking right at the shield...

And each was only seeing it from his perspective.

That’s the thing about our own view...

It feels complete, because it’s all we can see from where we are.

And being certain about something doesn’t always mean we’re seeing the entire picture.

Sometimes the other person is missing something. And sometimes... maybe we are.

Listening to someone’s perspective is like stepping over to their side and looking again.

It’s difficult...

And when we try, we may still disagree, yet we at least get to see what they see.

And sometimes that might be all the other person wants... someone to understand them.

One step is often all it takes to end an argument, or to understand something we couldn’t see before.

So the next time you feel completely sure about something...

It might be worth asking yourself...

“What might I be missing from where I’m standing?”

That’s all for this week. I hope this story reminded you that being certain isn’t always the same as seeing the whole picture.

Thank you to everyone who's been replying and sharing your thoughts.

Your feedback means more than you know, and I genuinely appreciate you taking the time to let me know what resonates.

If something in today's edition moved you, made you think, or reminded you of something you needed to hear, hit reply and let me know.

And if this story reminded you of someone… share it with them. Some things are worth passing on.

If you missed last week’s edition: The Only Permission You Need Is Your Own

See you next Sunday.

— Manifest Chronicles | The Mindset Behind Change