Who are these people?

“God gave us our relatives; thank God we can choose our friends”
Ethel Watts Mumford

Anyone who is lucky enough to be a part of a big family and is able to spend time with them should consider the individual personalities that collectively define their family’s dynamics. Each member has different traits and experiences that make them who they are. Over the years I have attended countless family dinners and events and have taken note of a few extreme characteristics that set some of them apart. We all have similar interests, but the way people interact with each other (specifically at family gatherings), is indicative of their true natures. I have used my recollections of the behaviors I observed to
Levels avoid offering advice they don’t feel they are qualified to give and typically are aware that there is a lot they don’t know. Levels are good listeners, capable of critical thought and will often read between the lines to look for what someone may not be saying. They are also able to pick up on nonverbal communication cues, which account for 93% of all communication. Levels have a genuine desire to help others. Their point is rarely, if ever considered by them to be more important than that of the person they to whom they’re listening or speaking. Levels appear to be driven mainly by the fulfillment they gain from giving freely of themselves to others.

If you look closely, I’m sure you will recognize some of these traits in each of your family members, but don’t forget that they are individuals and having certain character traits doesn’t always define a person entirely. Some people may exhibit behaviors of all three of these groups. The categories outlined are admittedly generalized, but basically applicable. Socrates said “The unexamined life is not worth living” this, I believe, refers to one’s capacity for critical thinking; it calls for honesty first with oneself, then others. It is a skill that can be learned, like any other. It involves careful listening, interpretation, and feedback. We could all benefit from some honest self-evaluation, and the benefits of what we can