
“Love is forever/ With the right one”
: Learning to See Beyond Myself
If there’s one lesson Laura taught me that changed the trajectory of my life, it’s this: the world doesn’t revolve around me. I’ve always had a quick wit, a penchant for humor that bordered on reckless, and a tendency to act first and think later. While those traits might make for amusing anecdotes in hindsight, they often came at the expense of other people’s feelings, especially Laura’s. She had the patience and wisdom to teach me how to temper those impulses, turning my rough edges into something smoother, more considerate, and better attuned to the people around me, Emotional intelligence.
There were countless moments where my lack of consideration could have driven a wedge between us, but Laura’s approach was always one of love and guidance. Take the incident at the doctor’s office, for example. That ill-timed joke—referring to her as a “miserable woman”—might have been amusing in my head, but it didn’t land that way for her. Her reaction wasn’t just a defense of her own dignity; it was a lesson for me to be more mindful of how my words impacted others.
Laura didn’t just tell me what I was doing wrong; she showed me what right looked like. Through her actions, I learned the value of kindness, thoughtfulness, and the power of empathy. She had a way of seeing people—not just what they showed on the surface but what they carried inside. Watching her interact with others, from family and friends to strangers, was like witnessing a masterclass in emotional intelligence. She taught me that being considerate isn’t just about avoiding hurtful words; it’s about understanding and anticipating how your actions might affect someone else.
Over time, her influence rounded me out. I started to think before I spoke, to consider the impact of my jokes, my decisions, and even my silences. Laura made me realize that humor, while a gift, is best used to uplift rather than tear down. She taught me that thoughtlessness, even when unintentional, can chip away at relationships if left unchecked.
But more than that, Laura showed me that being considerate isn’t just about avoiding harm—it’s about actively choosing to bring joy, comfort, and understanding into other people’s lives. It’s about seeing the world through someone else’s eyes and recognizing that their feelings, struggles, and triumphs matter just as much as your own.
Learning these lessons wasn’t always easy. There were times when my stubbornness got the better of me, and moments when I slipped back into old habits. But Laura’s love was unwavering. She didn’t give up on me, even when I gave her every reason to. Instead, she celebrated my progress, no matter how small, and encouraged me to keep striving toward becoming the best version of myself.
Now, I look back on my early years with Laura not with shame, but with gratitude. Gratitude for her patience, her strength, and her ability to see the good in me, even when I couldn’t. She didn’t just round me out; she reshaped the way I see the world and my place in it. Because of her, I’ve learned that being thoughtful and considerate isn’t just a skill—it’s a way of life, and one that I strive to embody every day.






