As we go about our daily lives we interact with all sorts of people. Some we know intimately and others we share the briefest of moments as we pass by them in life. From our closest friends and family to the barista at the coffee shop we get know the people in our lives from a particular point of view influenced heavily by the relationship and the amount of time. Those that we don’t know well we have a surface level understanding with glimmers of their personality. When it comes to the ones we spend the most time with, those personality traits seem to become magnified.

Over the last year most people’s circles have shrunk, many dramatically, leaving us to spend even more time those few folks we know best and making the outside interactions that much more fleeting. This has magnified personalities in one direction and reduced it in the other causing people to be hyper aware of quirks of those we are around most.

Some of these quirks may come off as cute for time but if we are being honest most of them become annoying quickly. We live with these quirks day in and day out becoming more and more aware of them as time passes. We wonder why the people we surround ourselves with are so strange. The person working at the deli doesn’t seem to have these quirks. The bank teller is always pleasant to be around. The reality is that we all have these quirks and while some people are better at hiding them than others, it’s only a matter of time before they begin to reveal themselves.

Yes, the quirks of those around you can be annoying but I bet yours can be too. Take a moment to realize that we all have them and there is nothing we can do about it. Take satisfaction in the fact that people tolerate you despite your quirks and be patient with the quirks of those around you. The quirks may be annoying but without them life would be oh so boring.