Alright, so this is my story about how I've totally changed in just a year. Seriously, I feel like a completely different person now.
You can just call me Mr. X, by the way.
So, a year ago, I was a whole other dude. I was super open, a total extrovert, and just talked a lot. You know, the kind of guy who didn't really know when to stop and would joke about everything. Not exactly a mature man, more like a big kid, I guess.
People always say a man can't change, no matter how much time passes, but I really don't think that's true. Guys and girls can totally change; it just depends on how you look at them.
Anyway, the story kicks off when I moved to a new school. That's where I met some folks, and there was this one guy who really changed my life. He was super quiet, and I, on the other hand, was a total chatterbox. Every time I saw him, I felt like he was trapped in a cage or something. So, I'd always go up to him and ask how he was doing. He'd just give a little shy smile and say, "Yeah." After about 10 or 15 days, I actually managed to have a full sentence conversation with him, and I realized he was a really introverted type. Now, it's not my job to make everyone social, but for some reason, I just felt like, "Why not talk to him and try to make him as chatty as me?"
After a while of talking to him, I figured out he was actually a very mature person who really knew his boundaries. I, on the other hand, was always joking about everything, and he'd be like, "Don't talk like that; it could hurt people." I was confused, like, "Why would a joke hurt anyone?" Then it hit me: a joke isn't always a joke for everyone. The person who's the subject of the joke might not find it funny at all; it's more like an insult that we're all laughing about. That day, I realized there are some specific lines you just shouldn't cross.
Another thing about him was that he had a really good sense of people. I don't know if it's because he's quiet and observant, but he just knew how much someone could take. I didn't get it, but he always did, and I really admired that. I asked him how he figured out someone's limit for laughing at a joke, and he said, "You know, a face is like a book; you can read it if you want to." After that, I started to understand people's thoughts just by looking at their faces. I'd realize I was about to cross a line, so I'd stop myself and be like, "Hey, let's change the topic." After that, I understood that to understand people, you just have to look at their faces; it's not that hard. And honestly, after that, I matured quite a bit.
Now, before I start a conversation, I always observe first to see how much of a joke someone can handle. Then I start talking, and people laugh, and that just makes me happy. I never want to hurt people, but sometimes I did. However, after understanding this, I always apologize. This is another thing he taught me. I never used to apologize to anyone before, but he said, "No, saying sorry can make a relationship stronger and create a good bond. An apology doesn't make you less of who you are. So, if you want to keep the relationship, I think you should apologize for what you did, even if it's not your fault. Because if an apology makes a relationship good, then I think it's worth it."
That's all for today. This is a pretty big story, so this is just Part 1.