When accidents happen

What happens when someone screws up and we are affected?

How do we respond when we’re negatively impacted by someone else’s actions?

Often, it has to do with how we interpret the other person’s intention. Whether they had been careful or careless. Whether they are cavalier or apologetic.

And more deeply, whether we can step into their shoes and understand what happened from their perspective. Whether we try to empathize.

When we can see the world from someone else’s side of an issue — or at least try to — we’re much less likely to shout and scream when things don’t go our way. It’s not to say that we won’t be upset or hurt … but we might be able to understand (if but a little) and accept the situation with grace.