01/09/2026
"Tout comprendre rend très indulgent."
Madame de Staël (1807)
“To understand all makes one deeply forgiving.”
Hi friends,
As some of you know, since May of this year I've been on a throat cancer treatment journey away from home in Agnes Water / Town of 1770.
In between not feeling well, I've had time to read, reflect, research, and consider a lot.
Reading about history—and recently the French Revolution—I learned how Madame de Staël was famously exiled by Napoleon Bonaparte for her outspoken intellect and defense of individual freedom.
Written over 200 years ago during the fallout of the French Revolution, these words weren't meant to excuse bad behavior—they were a reminder that empathy requires context.
When you take time to uncover the unseen fears, pain, and history driving someone's actions, contempt becomes much harder to maintain.
1 Samuel 16:7:
"For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart."
Before you judge or react today, ask yourself:
👉 What part of their story am I missing?
