When we first see strangers, all we know of them is what they show us. And when we listen to strangers, all we hear is what they tell us.
But the truth in a person’s heart can be gleaned if we observe closely and listen carefully, and by doing so without prejudice or assumptions, but that requires setting aside our own fears and insecurities.
And doing that is easier when one realizes, while listening and watching, that the person opposite you is just like you, with the same fears and insecurities, and needs and wants – hot meals, a safe bed, companionship, and a chance to be useful.
Reductive, but I stand by it.