“There is nothing more difficult than waking someone who is only pretending to be asleep.”
— Desmond Tutu
Simplified Meaning:
When someone is pretending to sleep, they aren’t really asleep, but they act like they are. This means that no matter how hard you try to wake them up, they won’t respond because they don’t want to. This idea can apply to other situations in life where people ignore problems or pretend not to notice something important. For example, think of a person who knows they need to get their homework done but keeps saying they don’t understand the assignment. Even if you try to help them, they might pretend they don’t understand just to avoid doing the work. Another example is in a meeting where someone pretends not to hear a suggestion they don’t like, even if it’s a good idea. They ignore it on purpose and act like they didn’t hear it. Applying this idea to your life means recognizing when you or others might be avoiding reality. If you face a problem honestly, you have a better chance of solving it. It’s important to be open and truthful, both with yourself and others, to make real progress.
