Dear Father, There is a name often used for those whose dealings with others consistently reflect lack of empathy and manipulative tendencies: we call them narcissists. It is often easy to identify a narcissist when we are aware of the related traits; even so, we are sometimes too quick to label people as such. Yet, we have our own shortcomings. Although none of us is entirely free from these traits, what distinguishes narcissism is its extreme and persistent expression. But should we raise alarms over extremes and remain silent about subtler expressions, when people are still affected? Unfair, indirect, or deceptive ways of influencing people, usually to serve our own interests is described as manipulation. Paul understood this when he said, “But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that any favor you do would not seem forced but would be voluntary.” I reflected on related situations: times when people’s love, and their inability to say no to us, have led them to do favors they would rather not do. When we share just enough distress to make someone feel responsible to fix it; when we withhold communication so the other person feels uneasy or obligated to reach out; when we praise someone mainly to influence their decision; when we do favors to create an unspoken and dangerous debt; and so on. How often do people suffer from our quiet, subtle, seemingly harmless acts of manipulation? Translations; Slide 1: English Slide 2: French Slide 3: Bengali Slide 4: Hindu Slide 5: Urdu #LettertoGod #narcissism #manipulation #deception #extremes