Maintenance numbers.
Recycling schedule.
Building rules.
She has herbs growing on her balcony.
Nothing has ever come over the railing.
And every morning, I sit outside with my coffee.
My chair.
My plants.
My slightly mismatched cushion.
My peace.
People sometimes think being reasonable means accepting everything.
It doesn’t.
Being reasonable also means knowing exactly where your limit is.
When someone crosses it, speak to them first.
Give them the opportunity to behave well.
Most people will.
If they don’t, document what happens.
Read your lease.
Know your rights.
Use the systems that already exist.
And after the issue is resolved, remember something else.
You don’t have to turn one grievance into a permanent judgment of another human
Daniel was wrong about the tea bags.
He was also a son watching his mother disappear.
Both things were true.
The complaint dealt with one.
Compassion dealt with the other.
