Being on the same page doesn’t mean reading at the same pace.

In my experience, there is a misconception of what it means to be “on the same page” as someone else. Most people think of being on the same page as being of the same mind. This is not only false but factually impossible. There will always be a general as well as a specific baseline that is relative to an individual’s cognition and personality. How two people arrive at the page they’re on, how quickly they’ll come or go from that commonality, and even what they derive from the contents of the page will differ based on the person (even for family). Hence: being on the same page doesn’t mean reading at the same pace…or even necessarily reading the same book. One may have arrived at the page by reading chapter after chapter sequentially whereas someone else may have simply opened the book for the first time and turned directly to that page. The distinctions and individuation in background, context, comprehension, retention, and attention must be taken into account as we’re all unique. Just because two people agree doesn’t mean they’re on the same trajectory.

Have you ever found yourself on the same page as someone with whom you’re not completely aligned?