Freezer Finds

Ever find something unusual in your freezer?

This is currently in ours.

Why? Because it's important to one of my kids.

I haven't asked for further explanation yet. And when I do, I likely won't completely understand the response.

I suspect the response will be something like, "Because I found it outside, and it's cool," or "I'm saving it to hurl at my brother when he's shooting his water gun at me. It's technically a form of water, sooo..."

To me, it's a piece of ice.

To my son, it's far more than that.

So even though a big part of me wants to throw it in the sink because it's "just a piece of ice taking up space in the freezer," I'm instead reminding myself I don't need to understand.

I just need to recognize that although it's irrational to me, it's important to him.

And also appreciate that he labeled it and put it next to some of the other labeled items in our freezer, likely knowing if he didn't, one of us would think, "What the hell?" and toss it in the sink without a second thought.

Why am I telling you about this piece of ice in my freezer?

Because it's SO easy to dismiss things we don't understand, including what's important to other people.

But attempting to understand and respecting someone else's perspective ≠ agreement.

Something to keep in mind in a lot of situations, not just when you find a block of ice in your freezer, labeled or not.

What's someone else's perspective that comes to your mind? One that you don't completely understand?
Or understand at all?

What can you do to understand and respect it? Without agreement?