When we like someone, it’s generally because they make us feel good. They don’t blow our trip, don’t disturb our fixed identity, so we’re buddies. When we don’t like someone – they’re not on our wavelength, so we don’t want to hang out with them – it’s generally because they challenge our fixed identity. We’re uncomfortable in their presence because they don’t confirm us in the ways we want to be confirmed, so we can’t function in the ways we want to function. Often we think of the people we don’t like as our enemies, but in fact, they’re all important to us. They’re our greatest teachers: special messengers who show up just when we need them, to point out our fixed identity.
Pema Chodron