People

How well do we know someone? I learned it is the quality and depth of a relationship, not the quantity of time that counts. Never base how well you know someone on how long you have known them. Perhaps you know someone from the past for several years who comes in and out of your life, or someone from the present for a few years. Many people make the error of thinking they know a person based on how long of a tie they have with someone, and not based on the quality of character and knowledge about each other that enhances a relationship a great deal. Do you really know that certain someone you once knew several years ago? Perhaps one day you rekindle a friendship with someone from the past, and you think you may know them based on length of time. Never trust time, people change and time changes people. Always take the effort and time to get to really engage and know someone once again, before judging on length of time of knowing a person. Ask questions, clarify, and ask again if needed in order to get to know someone a little better. If the person refuses to clarify a simple, but not too personal question about themselves to help you better understand them as individuals, then there may be a problem. If you ask the same question several times only to clarify your relationship with this person, and your question is brushed off as not important, you may want to think hard regarding your value to this other individual and the value of your relationship. Always be careful and cautious letting down your guard until you really know someone; people are just human and capable of making many mistakes and incorrect judgments.