On Hearing the Other Side

Over the summer, I had a rather traumatizing experience. It involved a guy I had a bit of a thing for, and too much "liquid courage" which led to a very awkward confession on my part. I'll spare you the embarrassing details, and just say that I ended up confused and hurt. Not only that, but I was convinced that the whole situation was my fault and that I'd lost a friend in the process. As a result, I was in a funk for a few weeks, perplexed and brooding.

Eventually, the initial hurt wore off and life went on, but it stayed there in the back of my mind, because I didn't understand what I had done that was so heinous to merit what had happened. I didn't have closure, so it remained a proverbial thorn in my side.

Today, completely by chance, I discovered from a neutral third party what had happened from the other side of the situation. Not only had it been completely blown out of proportion (and for once, not by me!) but other than one or two less-than-choice comments on my part (which I fully admit to), I wasn't to blame for the end result. In fact, once I knew both sides of the situation, I found it almost laughable.

It's really amazing what absolution can do for your soul. I'm so used to blaming myself when bad things happen that I can't explain that I just never considered the possibility of someone else being at fault, or in this case, mostly at fault. Of course, I don't hold it against him, because it's not my place to judge and condemn. But knowing both sides of the story is one step closer to knowing the truth, and I know now that part of that truth is that it wasn't my fault.

So now, not only have I learned a valuable lesson, but my conscience is clear in a matter that has been nagging at the back of my mind for months.

And it feels REALLY good.

EDIT: The above situation is the one that caused my writier's block. I think that tomorrow, I'll try to write and see if the writer's block has lifted in light of the resolution of my feelings about the ordeal. :)