I keep track
of the people around me
who are great judges of character
and who are terrible
judges of character.
Recently, for example,
a loved one accused
another loved one
of something that person
would never do in a million years.
I put the accusing loved one
in the terrible judge of character
category.
He is not someone
I would trust
with that task.
If drama happens in the future
around character judgments,
I know to discount his views.
That’s okay.
No one is good
at everything.
He has other skills,
other abilities.
We’re surrounded by people
with different gifts,
different abilities
(or lack of them).
That neighbor two doors down,
the one who is always
fashionably dressed?
He’s great at evaluating
graphics.
That cashier at the local store,
the one who always chats with you?
She’s great at
calming irate customers.
Note their abilities.
Know who you can contact
when you need someone
with those skills.
Don’t merely build
a network of names.
Build a network
of abilities.