I went back and forth between trying to throw my attention back onto the stage and going through my to-do list for the rest of the week, along with my dinner plans for the evening (in case you were wondering, I ended up having a nice plate of pasta). I was torn between two modes of being : Being and Doing modes.

The constant checking my phone for the time gave me the illusion of having control and a way to cope with the uncertainty of the situation. But it wasn’t very effective except for making me more irked and impatient. We all know that a watched clock never goes faster.

Validation is about acknowledging the kernel of truth in another person’s experiences. It doesn’t mean that we have to agree or like what the person is doing but instead, we can try and understand some of the reasons that people have for thinking, feeling, and behaving a certain way, given their past experiences. Validation also involves us showing the other person that they are inherently deserving of dignity and respect.