I Didn’t Need to Understand Everything — To Know That It Mattered

By Lady Flava

There are moments when words aren’t the most important part of a conversation.

I recently watched two individuals share a connection that was deeply personal, filled with joy, affirmation, and identity. They both openly identified as Queer and, upon discovering this about each other, their energy shifted — brightened. A language formed between them that I didn’t entirely understand, yet I recognized the rhythm of celebration in their voices.

It was like watching two stars recognize each other in the sky.

They didn’t need to explain themselves. They didn’t ask for space — they simply took it. Fully. Boldly. With pride and presence. And I felt honored to witness it.

Even though I didn’t catch every reference or nuance, I understood something far more important:

They felt seen. They felt safe. They were celebrated.

In that moment, I didn’t need to understand everything to know that it mattered.

It reminded me how powerful it is to witness someone being fully themselves. It doesn’t require us to decode their story or compare it to our own — it only requires that we respect it, give it room to breathe, and be open to learning if we’re invited in.

There’s a difference between acceptance and understanding.

Understanding takes time and effort.

Acceptance takes intention and heart.

Let’s not underestimate the impact of simply being present — without judgment, without needing to center ourselves. Just witnessing with kindness.

We don’t have to “get it” to honor it.

We just have to choose not to shrink others because of what we don’t yet know.

That’s how we grow. That’s how we build trust.

And maybe — that’s how healing begins for all of us.