I let people be themselves.

The best relationships are the ones in which two people don’t want to change each other. There’s mutual acceptance. If not quite complete. Virtually total. Even when the two people are different. In many ways. But they tend to balance each other. Bring out the best in each other. Those are the ingredients in the best of marriages. And a sign of true love. If one or the other is in quest of changing the other, especially in significant ways, it’s gonna mean trouble. And most likely, a break-up. Seems to me that unconditional love requires lots of acceptance. Tolerance. Empathy. Forgiveness. More and more as I get older, I’m willing to accept people as they are. Because I know I’m not gonna change ‘em. People tend to change themselves. They resist being changed by others. I like it when I see people change for the better. Evolve. Without having to be pushed. But the thing is, I don’t necessarily know what’s better. It might be better for me. But not for another. That’s the dangerous thing about trying to change an acquaintance. I might make ‘em worse. I’d rather just let them be themselves. Even if they have to learn the mistake-prone hard way. –Jim Broede