I avoid conflict.
Until recently I didn’t really understand why that was.
I used to think that I avoided conflict because I didn’t want other people to feel bad. The truth is, I avoided conflict because I didn’t want to feel bad. I was afraid of what people would say or do if I confronted them about something. I was afraid of what they would think of me.
I now think that there is a better reason to avoid conflict. Instead of coming from a place of fearing people, it can come from loving people. Surely there is room for disagreement, critique, and correction. But if I truly loved others, would I want to enter into a conflict with them?
Probably not.
I’m not all the way there yet. But I hope to be.