"Criticism, when offered with love, opens our eyes to blind spots and makes us aware of unconscious or habitual responses."
The other night a friend of mines had a heart to heart with me. It was a loving gesture with a serious/stern undertone. To put it lightly, they weren't playing. At the time I could not believe the words escaping my loved ones mouth. "Is this what you think of me?" I cried. Did I mention I cried. Like a child.
The purpose of the talk was to criticize my behavior and decisions over the past few months. It was a look into how one centralized issue had negatively affected my relationship with my friend and most importantly myself.
A few days later, I am able to look at the gesture as a labor of love. No doubt done out of irritation and frustration. However, still needed.
The moral of the story is: be open to hear and learn things about yourself that you may not otherwise notice. When you trust someone to be your friend, they should be able to offer you honest praises as well as constructive criticism.
Lady Eloise
