I think it is an unhealthy habit to assume you “know” what another thinks or feels. I used to be like that not long ago. I would paint a picture of responses I didn’t get yet, they made perfect sense in my mind based on the knowledge I had of the situation. Of course, this knowledge was limited to my own perception. When we say “I know what you are thinking because I know you so well”, do we truly put ourselves in another’s shoes and walk a mile and understand or do we just feel confident we know how the other “should” think/feel? At some point I stopped. It creates unjustified expectations – since I “know” what you feel, I can “plan” my own reactions to the words and actions you haven't said and done yet. So often they don’t come the way I expected and then what do we have? Disappointment. Even anger sometimes. At another, we blame THEM for not behaving how WE expected them to behave. Because now we are not ready to react. Does this make sense? Not at all. So I don’t do this anymore. The only knowledge I’m certain of is that no matter how well I know the others, they still will have their own ways. Might as well let them. What I’m confident of is that no matter what the others might say or do, I will have my best reaction to that. It is important to learn do not expect another person to be ideal in relation to you, because this ideal is only your own idea of the ideal, they might have theirs. Sometimes the two ideals are the same. And you get that wonderful giddy sense of perfection in the air. Most of the times there is a deviation between the two and you never know, you might discover you feel more comfortable with this way then your way. I do not put my words into another’s mouth. If I wish to know something, I ask. But most of the time I wait until the situation reveals itself. Does it render me emotionless and detached? Perhaps. But who says you cannot ride sub ocean emotional waves while the ship sails still waters of emotion less tranquillity.