- The Better Listener
- Posts
- How to understand someone's pain
I was walking Maisey around Santa Monica when I met three men wearing gold medals. Matty, Joe, and Tom just finished a seven-day bike marathon from San Francisco to LA.
“How are your legs?” I asked.
“What legs?” Matty replied.
They laugh. We chat while they wait for a car.
“What was the worst part of the ride? All of you answer at the same time.
I’ll count down from 3… 2… 1…”
“The heat,” said Tom.
“Biking into the fog,” said Matty.
“Downhill on the highway,” said Joe.
Their answers surprised each other.
“I loved the fog,” said Joe.
Three guys. Same ride. Different pain.
Next time someone you know is going through something hard, ask:
What about this is hardest for you?
What are people misunderstanding about this?
What do you want me to know that I’m not asking?
Afterwards, I invite the men to join me for Korean BBQ for dinner.
Matty shrugs in typical LA fashion and the drive is too far a drive.
Rich coming from someone who just biked five-hundred miles to get here.
LA traffic really is like that.
Seeking impartial news? Meet 1440.
Every day, 3.5 million readers turn to 1440 for their factual news. We sift through 100+ sources to bring you a complete summary of politics, global events, business, and culture, all in a brief 5-minute email. Enjoy an impartial news experience.
P.S. There’s still time to click yesterday’s ad if you missed it 🙂
Forwarded this email? Click here to sign up for the Better Listener.