Discussion Jumpstarter
Study leader reference - not a definitive answer
Question 1
Merle says “there will be misunderstandings” and that “trust is so foundational”; in the Canada firewood story (“moving out of the country”), what did Merle’s assumptions reveal about the fears or sensitivities he carried, and what would it look like to practice trust before clarity in a tense relationship?
Another way to ask: In the Canada firewood story, what did Merle’s assumptions show about what he was afraid of or sensitive about? What would it look like to choose trust before you have all the facts in a tense relationship?
Discussion Jumpstarter
Direct Answer
Merle’s quick assumption showed he was sensitive about being an American in Canada and carried a fear of being misunderstood or judged. Practicing trust before clarity would look like assuming good intent first and asking simple questions instead of reacting defensively.
- Merle says he learned “there will be misunderstandings” and that “trust is so foundational… trust that people’s intentions are good.”
- In the firewood story, he hears, “I hear you’re moving out of the country,” and immediately thinks the man means “moving back to the United States.”
- Merle admits, “I totally misunderstood. I put my own assumption onto what he was saying.”
- He names the inner pressure: “I’m sensitive about being a dual citizen… They’re sensitive about being an American living in Canada.”
- The reality was ordinary: the man meant “out of the country” as in “out of the countryside” (moving into town).