The kid asked me if I'd ever been misinterpreted by anyone
I responded sure, happens all the time
He then asked how I responded to being misinterpreted
And I said it all depends on a couple of factors
To which the kid's response was to ask me to explain
So I did
The thing to consider if you are ever misinterpreted
Is whether or not the person you are talking to
Has already established an opinion of you
Do they like you, do they hate you, do they trust you, do they not
Do they think of you as inferior, do they think of you as superior
Do they think of you at all?
See, that all has a profound effect on how they perceive
Anything and everything you might have to say
They might assume you're speaking drivel
They could be wary of every word that comes out of your mouth
No matter how truthful or knowledgable you might actually be
People hear what they want to hear
And see what they want to see
What motivates them
Is beyond the keen of gods and men
But it's a universal truth
The best you can do is make your message clear and simple
As open to interpretation as little as possible
Be open, direct and honest
And hope the person you're speaking to
Will extend you the same courtesy
For people make assumptions
About what may be motivating everything you say or do
And unfortunately that is something beyond your control
All you can do is just keep on being you
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