Daily Wisdom Notes

When Conversation Failed, Writing Opened the Door Yesterday, I wrote about a friend who posted a group selfie on social media without asking whether everyone in it wanted the photograph to be shared. I was one of the people in the picture. My friend had prepared himself for the camera, but the rest of us were not ready. When I saw the photograph online, I sent him a private message and asked him to remove it. He refused. He believed it was only a photograph and did not see why it had become a serious concern. My direct explanation did not change his mind. It seemed that the more clearly I defended my position, the more firmly he defended his own. Later, I turned the experience into an article. Instead of writing an attack against him, I explored the wider lesson: when we publish a photograph containing other people, their faces are not ours to manage without consideration. After finishing the article, I sent it to him. This time, he understood. He removed the photograph willing...

Before You Post, Remember Whose Face It Is I have a friend who enjoys taking selfies whenever he meets other people. Soon after taking them, he often posts the photographs on social media without asking whether everyone in them wants to appear publicly. I noticed something else. When he takes a selfie, he pays careful attention to his own appearance. He makes sure his expression is right and that he is ready for the camera. But the people behind him may be looking elsewhere, making an awkward expression, or not even realizing that the photograph is about to be taken. When the picture is finished, he is usually the only person who looks prepared. One day, I appeared with three other people in one of his selfies. He posted it even though the rest of us had not been ready for the photograph to be shared. When I saw it, I sent him a message and asked him to remove it. I explained that he was the only person in the picture who had been prepared for public display. He refused. Instead, he to...

When Someone You Love Is Suffering On Saturday, I travelled to my hometown to visit my elder sister. We sat together and talked about many things. It was an ordinary family visit, and I was genuinely happy to spend time with her. As our conversation continued, she began telling me about several complicated problems within her family. These were not minor worries that could be removed with a few comforting words. They involved other people, long-standing difficulties, and choices that neither she nor I could completely control. I listened and tried to understand. Part of me wanted to find an answer for every problem she described. When someone we love is suffering, doing nothing can feel uncaring. We want to repair the situation, remove the worry, and help that person feel peaceful again. But I gradually recognized a difficult truth: I could not solve everything for her. This raised another question. If we cannot remove the problems of someone we love, what kind of help can we still off...