I Respectfully Disagree

CHAPTER 7 Don’t Take the Exit on People

Pillar 3, Cultivate Your Curiosity

This chapter focuses on filling the gaps in our understanding with curiosity, not conclusions. Use this chapter to learn how to not take the “exit” of assumptions with others, but instead continue to be curious.

In the fall of 2018, I found myself grappling with a deep-seated anger. I couldn’t shake off thoughts about my dad’s absence throughout my childhood. My parents divorced when I was just four. Initially, I saw my dad every other weekend, but gradually, our meetings dwindled to once a month, then to years of silence. My dad lived in Detroit (2.5 hours from Grand Rapids), and the fact that I didn’t see him often became my new normal. The challenging relationship ...