Life can be so confusing
Thinking we can truly understand another human being adds to the confusion. We think we know people, until they do something that feels “out of character” to us.
Its not, of course, out of character. But it’s “out of character” for the person we’ve invented them to be. The image we’ve created of the other person, perhaps the image that we want them to be.
So when they do something that doesn't fit, that’s maybe down to the image we created, not down to them changing. Maybe we didn’t “see” them clearly.
Allowing people to be themselves around us can be difficult.
But it’s also the only way to have a good relationship with friends, colleagues or partners.
And it gives us permission to be ourselves too.