(To those who will read this, I am referring to several things and circumstances that traversed in the past year. This is not just about one situation.)

I feel saddened about people who make you feel like you're stepping on thin ice around them. Sad in a sense that no matter how much you try to make a connection with them, they will find something to say about whatever it is you did to trigger their list of vague pet peeves.

I grew up in a country where the norm is to not be confrontational. But keeping the peace does not guarantee that people will even respect each other for their differences.

I have heard too many times about having a sense of 'agree to disagree' tolerance, and yet, it only sounds good in concept. Very few people I know are really that tolerant of each other.

It feels sadder that your gesture of kindness is seen as something malicious, something repulsive despite sincere efforts on your part to not step on anyone's toes. And yet, even a simple passionate hobby or interest can be misconstrued.

Sometimes I am beginning to believe that it's really impossible to get people to agree on one thing.

It remains a mystery to me how and why people can blow up a simple meaningful gesture into something out of proportion and demand that you adjust to their rather narrow worldview of how people should behave around them. Expect that the adjustment is always one way.

Trying to get into the root of things takes a lot of work and can't always be achieved right away.  

I have my own set of pet peeves, but I put them aside for the sake of building up relationships. I choose what I believe matters more. I expect potential friends to observe the same.

Apparently, the test of real friendship is when the person you're with becomes an inconvenience. People around me have their quirks, and yet I would rather see something good beyond the surface. Never mind that a person doesn't take a bath or says offensive profanity, for as long as they can tolerate you the way you tolerate them.

I find it hypocritical that people can spot an annoyance a mile away, and yet be unaware that they are similarly annoying and offensive.

At least I know how to just step back, instead of raising yourselves on a moral high ground just because of a minor annoyance. Would you rather that the person annoy you, or steal from you? 

Some people have a very screwed-up sense of social prioroties. I expect that these things shall pass, and that relationships built on shallow premises and fair weathering will just slowly wither away to reveal the Stonehenge of valuable relationships that you will want to keep.