My Golden Rule

We all know the Golden Rule, "Treat others as you want to be treated." This rule looks good in theory, and I have tried to live by it over the years. However, I have come to see a minor issue with this rule. It implies that the way you want to be treated is the way others want to be treated, and that may simply not always be true. So, I propose an amendment to the Golden Rule; and it is to "Treat others the way they want to be treated." The amendment to this rule gives the person or persons we are encountering the opportunity to tell us how they want to be treated rather than how we think they should be treated. We are all unique in our own ways and may desire various treatments from each other. Treating others the way they want to be treated encourages us to have a dialogue with others and find out from them exactly how they would like to be treated in certain situations. We learn a lot about each other this way. We learn about what makes us similar and what sets us apart. We are to embrace those similarities and respect and even embrace those differences!