I just read Eliot’s “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock”. I will reread it a few times, but what I got from it was timidity. Conformity.
And to my surprise I found myself not judging him. I understand cowardice.
And it hit that as I grow braver, which I believe is happening, inevitably the cowardice or fearfulness of others will frustrate me less. I have in the past often been annoyed by people I viewed as overly timid. Why? Because I WAS AFRAID.
All reactions you have to other people tell you something useful about yourself, if you pay attention.
Here is my proposed Bon Mot of the day: Courage understands cowardice, but cowardice does not understand courage.
I’m not sure if that is true, but it does have the virtue of concision. Many bad ideas are pithy.
You figure it out for you.