After experiencing a humbling period at Laban and a break in the struggle with God, Jacob must have been surprised at how his outlook on life, on people, on God changed... When he initially left his family, he believed he knew how the world is. He understood what was important to him, what he wanted. In his eyes, the value of people was based on how they fit into his plans. He didn't have much doubt about himself. A proud, unbroken man sees it similarly. And yet, how much more blessed it is for the heart to soften in the trials that are given to us in life. As our ability to perceive expands, how much wealth we gain, for example, only through the ability to rejoice in the things that we used to pass unnoticed.