Dear Human 💕,

I noticed you’re trying to figure out what really happened between those two other humans.

You listened to the first human. Their story made sense. You could see why they felt hurt, angry, and frustrated. You feel like they are telling you the truth.

Then you listened to the second human. Their story also made sense. You could see why they felt hurt, angry, and frustrated too. You feel like they are telling you the truth.

Now you’re confused. How can both stories make sense? How can both stories be true when they’re so different?

There is a human saying that “there are three sides to every story: your side, my side, and the truth”

What does that mean?

It means that for everything that happens, there are three sides:

• what one human experienced,
• what the other human experienced,
• and what actually happened.

The truth isn’t about picking whose story is more believable. It’s about understanding both perspectives and finding what really happened between them.

Here’s the thing: both humans are telling you their truth. They’re not lying. They both experienced the same situation through completely different lenses. They noticed different things. They interpreted things differently. They felt different feelings. Both of their stories are real to them. Both stories are their truth.

The actual truth? It’s probably somewhere in the middle. It might include pieces from both stories. It might include things neither of them fully noticed or remembered.

But here’s what’s important: you can’t find that truth by hearing only one side. You need both stories. Without both perspectives, you’re only seeing half the picture. You might think you understand what happened, but you don’t. Not yet.

To understand what happened, listen to both stories. Look for what they agree on. Look for where their stories overlap. Notice what each one might have missed about the other’s experience. Consider what each one was feeling that shaped how they saw things.

Sometimes after hearing both sides, you still won’t know the actual truth. And that’s okay.  Even if you’re looking at the actual truth, you will see it through your own lens. Every human does. That’s how you get to your side of the story. 

And there’s something else that’s important: You don’t always need to decide who was right. Often it’s enough to understand how both humans experienced the same situation. Different humans experience the same situation differently. That’s just being human.

Right now, you want the apartment warmer. The other human wants it cooler. I’ve listened to both of you explain why your temperature is the right temperature. The thermostat says 70°F. That’s the fact. And I also think it’s too cold. That’s my side of the story. Meanwhile, I just moved under the blanket and solved the problem myself.

Yours, Cat 🐾

P.S. Remember: without understanding both sides, you can’t fairly decide who’s right or tell them what to do. Both humans deserve that.