Anticipation

       Saturday is the full moon.  As I said in yesterday's post, it's also the closest the moon will be to the earth. It's being called a "Supermoon."  I wonder what kind of effect it will have on the Trenches.  Already this week, an attorney who is usually nothing but nasty and uncooperative was friendly and helpful.  The full moon, or personality change?  I hope the latter, but I'm guessing the former.  Either way, I'm OK with it.  I only hope this "Supermoon" has a similar effect on all of my clients and opposing counsel.  For once, the anticipation of the full moon is pleasant.

      Turning to a more mundane issue, let's talk about what people hear and what they perceive.  Perception is the process by which beings process and interpret sensation to produce a meaningful experience of the world.  Every person interprets and processes differently.  It's tempting to think that when we explain things fully, they are understood the way we meant them to be.  It wouldn't be true, however.  Perception is affected by so many factors: nature, nurture, mood, culture, age and cognitive function.   Just because someone says "I understand," doesn't mean they understand what you want them to know.   Our perceptions and those of our clients are constantly changing, and we need to be vigilant and aware that they are, and check in to make sure our clients understand what we've advised.  Gentle questioning and reflective listening are vital to informed choices and decisions.