Swans* may misinterpret others’ emotions. Even their own, sometimes.

Imagine the feeling of guilt. Now, compare it to the painful feeling of unrequited love. Similar, isn’t it? How about fear and sexual arousal? Sometimes pretty close, aren’t they? Then how about female sexual excitement compared to the feeling of pain or discomfort? Sometimes a man has to ask, is it a good sigh or a bad sigh. If you’ve never felt true love, the desire to own or to have to oneself feels pretty close to what others are describing love to be, maybe? Ironically, relief and disappointment are almost identical as a raw feeling; imagine a prey animal reaching its safe hole before a predator can get to it – it sighs of relief as the fox sighs of disappointment. An opposite feeling, almost identical expression.

It is no wonder that these emotions (and maybe many others I haven’t yet recognized as near twins) are confused by a Young Soul* or even older, to be honest. An Old Soul* knows how difficult it is to correctly scan another person’s feelings when you’re simply not them. You can know someone quite well and still keep misinterpreting their feelings, let alone someone you’ve only just met.

This is why a verbal confirmation is sometimes so vitally important, even if it spoils the mood a bit. Even if it was much more romantic to just trust that you understand each other perfectly. But the terror if you don’t, and you just trusted that you do… If you’re in any doubt, ask.

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