"Assumption is the mother of all fuck ups." - From Pricilla Queen of the Desert

Once upon a time in the land of Avalon there was a simple knight, as knights go, and his name was Aslynn.  Aslynn wasn't your ordinary knight.  He traveled alone, for the most part, and he couldn't afford a horse.  A strange young man in most regards he walked from village to village in ragged, banged up armor taking odd jobs and making what friends he could.

One day Aslynn stopped in a small village not entirely different from any of the other villages he had seen but he stopped at an inn to rest.  While there he met a beautiful princess named Morgaine and she was the most beautiful princess in all of Avalon.  Aslynn thought, "This princess would never want to have anything to do with a knight such as me," but to his utter amazement this princess wanted him and won his heart.

And they lived happily ever after...well...at least until the dragon came.

They awoke to screams.  The smell of sulfur stung their noses and the knight quickly put on his armor, grabbed his sword, and ran into the courtyard to find the village burning.  "Dragon, dragon!" the villagers screamed and begged the knight to sleigh the beast and save the village and the knight agreed that there would be no peace as long as the beast darkened the sky.

Aslynn ran back into their home and got down on one knee and told the princess about the horrible beast and all the destruction it was capable of.  "I must go to sleigh this thing," he said, "else none will survive!!!"  It was a dangerous task, he knew, and there were none to help him.  He would have to begin with haste and take with him only those things he needed:  his armor, sword, and food.  "I will return!" he vowed then kissed her cheek lovingly and with tears in his eyes he left the room.

Once upon a time in the land of Avalon there was a simple princess, as princesses go, and her name was Morgaine.  Morgaine wasn't your ordinary princess.  She spent most of her time alone, not with the other women who gossiped or took advantage of the peasantry.  A strange young woman in most regards she spent her time studying and listening to minstrels and though she did not have the power of a king or queen she spent much time finding ways to improve the lives of those in the land.

One day Morgaine stopped at the inn to pick up a book and she met a thoughtful knight named Aslynn and she thought he was the kindest knight in all of Avalon.  Morgaine thought, "This knight would never be interested in a princess such as me," but to her utter amazement this knight wanted her and won her heart.

And they lived happily ever after...well...at least until the dragon came.

They awoke to screams.  The smell of sulfur stung their noses and the princess watched her knight run from their bed and out the door without a backwards glance.  She sat there afraid and alone as the village burned.  "Dragon, dragon!" she heard the villagers scream and she knew there would be no peace as long as the beast darkened the sky.

It was then that Aslynn ran back into the room and got down on his knee and told the princess about the horrible destruction he had seen.  "I must go to sleigh this thing," he said, "else none will survive."  He would leave her, she knew, as so many other knights had left to chase their dragons.  He would leave her with haste and false promises.   "I will return!" he said while kissing her quickly on the cheek and he hid his face as he left the room.

And so Aslynn tracked this dragon and engaged it in many a bloody and horrific battle.  Sometimes, when he could, he would return to the village, to that inn where he met the princess, and look for Morgaine but she was nowhere to be found and when he finally did find her she was not there with him in the room but looking out towards the mountains where the dragons once flew.

Moral of the story:  Never assume your intentions are understood however well articulated they might be.

Assumptions are a rather interesting beast.  An assumption, at its core, is a psychological projection.  A psychological projection is a belief we have about the universe outside ourselves.  A projection can be accurate or inaccurate--that's not so important as is our belief that the projection is an accurate depiction of reality.

Lets try that one more time.

All of our ideas about reality are projections and they are either accurate or inaccurate reflections of the universe. Our reality is based almost entirely on assumptions.  An assumption that is not in alignment with objective reality can be just as destructive as the dragons in our lives.

Do you understand?

So:

Assume all of your 'facts' are nothing more than accepted assumptions.

Always question your assumptions.

Test your assumptions.

Test your assumptions.

Test your assumptions.

Communicate.

Communicate.

Communicate.

Repeat.