"When we describe what the other person is really like, I suppose we often picture what we want. We look through the prism of our need"

This quote by Ellen Goodman talks to the concept that when we describe somebody else, we frequently project our own desires and requires onto them. We tend to see them through the lens of our own wants and needs, instead of seeing them for who they genuinely are. This can be an unsafe thing, as it can result in us forming misconceptions of people and not seeing them for who they truly are. It can likewise cause us forming relationships with people based upon our own requirements, instead of on real connection. It is important to be familiar with this propensity and to try to take a look at people objectively, without the influence of our own desires.