I once sent a woman roses to her place of work because it looked like she was sad and I didn’t have the words. I didn’t write anything on the card. I didn’t expect anything for them. Reading this, I hope like hell that they didn’t strike fear.

When I was 6 years old, I was on a playground at school and the boys were chasing the girls, I Chased a girl and took a kiss. She didn’t like it. I never kissed or took without consent from then on. I hope that memory that is in my head as a lesson learned doesn’t burn in her as a evil thing.

I once asked someone a question on a dating site, related to their profile, because it was interesting and I wanted to hear her elaboration. She tore into me like I’d done something wrong and I was hurt and didn’t understand why. I didn’t know at the time that it was very likely she had been raked over coals again and again for her opinion and it left her raw.
I’m paying attention and going back through my memories for any time I took an action or said something. These are what I’ve found.

I hope there are not more that I’m not seeing. I’ve asked the women and men in my life and they’ve said I haven’t. I hope that is true.