Quotes About Understanding

In every sphere of social interaction, that hermeneutic leap—that ability to put yourself in the mind frame of the other—is a virtue and a blessing.

Listening, not jargon, is the path into the heart of music. And if we listen at a deep enough level, we enter into the magic of the song - no degrees or formal credentials required. [...] [C]areful listening can demystify virtually all of the intricacies and marvels of jazz. [...] [T]he people who first gave us jazz did so without much formal study - and, in some instances, with none at all. But they knew how to listen.

To Western medicine, understanding an illness means uncovering a distinct entity that is separate from the patient's being; to Chinese medicine, understanding means perceiving the relationships among all the patient's signs and symptoms in the context of his or her life.

Dogs: A New Understanding of Canine Origin,

At a certain point you need to acknowledge that your partner knows more about what makes him or her happy than you do. Stepping back, you let that partner be.

She advises micro-managing every detail of a dog's life down to training it to eliminate on command. Why do we need to oversee dogs in this fashion? Because, she answers, they have "little, smoothish lemon brains," not at all like the "convoluted, melon brains" that allow humans to think.

When we'd walk by mule deer, he'd watch them—one ear pricked toward them, one ear angled back in my direction—as I'd repeat, "Deer, no, stay,

I feel the bear's heart in her footprints.

Close friends love you for who you are, not what they want you to be.

When, because of the parasites of trauma, we refuse to deal with the trauma, we're stuck with horrific emotional pain. That's when we can do things we don't understand, because the trauma discs have kicked in. Some folks have an entire library of them. As a result, we can end up acting "crazy.

Mr. and Mrs. Everett had a rebellious 15-year-old son. They could see that they had made many mistakes in childrearing. Their mistakes, however, blinded them to his needs. When they saw their son, they saw their failures. As a result, they never saw him as a boy who was choosing to sin. They failed to see that he was choosing not to believe and obey God. They had not been perfect parents, it was true. Their son, however, had not been a good son. That part was true too.

Let me overview a biblical vision for the parenting task. The parenting task is multifaceted. It involves being a kind authority, shepherding your children to understand themselves in God's world, and keeping the gospel in clear view so your children can internalize the good news and someday live in mutuality with you as people under God.

It is possible to be well-educated and still not understand life. 

Proverbs 18:2 speaks to this issue with penetrating insight: "A fool finds no pleasure in understanding but delights in airing his own opinions.

Proverbs 18:13 reminds us that "He who answers before listening—that is his folly and his shame.

They don't have to agree with you on everything in order to respect you.

Parents tend to focus on the externals of behavior rather than the internal overflow of the heart.

We tend to worry more about the "what" of behavior than the "why".

A regular habit of talking together prepares the way for talking in strained situations. You will never have the hearts of your children if you talk with them only when something has gone wrong.

What is important in correction is not venting your feelings, anger or hurt; it is, rather, understanding the nature of the struggle that your child is having. What is important is understanding the "why" of what has been done or said.

He who ignores discipline despises himself, but whoever heeds correction gains understanding" (Proverbs 15:32).

He who ignores discipline despises himself, but whoever heeds correction gains understanding" (Proverbs

Give your children big truths they will grow into rather than light explanations they will grow out of.

The finest art of communication is not learning how to express your thoughts. It is learning how to draw out the thoughts of another.