being myself

Today, someone asked how does one know if an opposite party is being himself or herself. This is an interesting question. To me, I try to be myself as best as I can. Usually, it results in 3 scenarios:

1) The opposite party lets his/her guard down and out comes his/her life story

2) The opposite party remains as guarded as ever

3) The opposite party tried to be open, but you can sense that something remains amiss

I have this ability to see through people. Very often, my predictions come true, often only months down the road. Usually their body cues give it all away, their facial expressions, the slightest frown or smile, the authenticity of the handshake, the background, the social upbringing, the situation, the audience. All or a combination of these factors quickly come into play, and I tend to psycho analyze everything and form a picture of the person I'm speaking to.

When I let my guard down and speak freely, I tend to notice that people tend to do the same, but remain shielded in certain aspects. That's perfectly understandable, as trust is only gained over time. With repeated meetings, and asking the correct questions however, it allows me to see more into the person. I'm not sure if this is an ability or something, but I just seem to be able to do it. Of course there are occasions when I was wrong, but these are few and far between.

I felt that I had a big stone lifted off me today. It felt good. To HM, I still think it's a blessing to know you.

Steadfast, dedicated and idealistic, that's 3 words I will use to describe you. Hope to go cycling soon, it will be fun. You bring me back to the days when the world seems like a better place.