in my opinion, human relations is possibly the ultimate trader's fantasy.

i like conversation and interaction (that's why i have lots of friends! i often feel i keep so many because every one of themsees a different facet(s) of me. call it ego), but they're so fraught with danger.

a simple word, action, gesture, or look can trigger a million responses, which in turn opens up the door to a million other responses to the response. the commonest or most expected answer, then sometimes becomes rare and shocking.

the potential for misunderstanding and grief can sometimes be too great to bear (although in general, we survive of course.)

so, at once i both fear and love the silence.
fear, because, along with the good, all sad permutations and possibilities exist in my often unquiet mind.
love, because in the silence a simple touch means eternity to me.

and so, i ask for the most difficult of things from those closest to me:
to always think the best of me, even when all the evidence may seem to suggest otherwise.
to try to understand me even though i may seem un-understandable sometimes or most of the time.
to demand and expect everything of me, but to also love me with unreasonable and unreasoning love despite me falling short (and i will fall short in many things).

and with lots of luck,
this person - this frail and often-too-human person -
will give the same things to you too.