Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Sometimes good friends give bad advice.

Their intentions, pure, and their words, sweet … but their understanding, marginal. This is only compounded by our inherent nature to sense “safe” and “secure” company. We seek it, confide in it and tell them our deepest and darkest secrets. We willfully spill our souls to them … because we trust them and know them to be true.

Fortunate. The meaning of the word most will never come to know.

Sometimes we truly are fortunate and our investment is returned. Multiplied. Seemingly infinitesimally. And you’re left with one lingering blissful thought, what would you have done without them? If you meet one such person in your life, consider yourself lucky.

As for the rest of us, we are surrounded by our Dr. Phil’s and Oprah’s and consider ourselves cultured, “in touch”. Others plant trees or serve soup. Some are looking for answers while others don't even realize there are questions to be asked. We make trivial discoveries about ourselves, which are usually misconstrued at best, and take them to be ultimate truisms. We feel the need to share them, with everybody, anyone and everyone. And when the friend in need is knocking, who is it that is actually doing the knocking? Are we fulfilling our need or theirs?

6 comments:

Dino$ said...

hmmm i think your best friend has a potential in turning into your worst enemy. Imagine if you spill out all your darkest secrets to someone and then one day they stab you in the back and they are not really your friend. imagine the feeling then and all the stuff they can use against you... interesting possibility.

there is a saying.. keep your friends close and your enemies closer.

neutron said...

Dino$, that's an even worse scenario then I'm describing! That'd be the ultimate backstab. Very scary thought.

Anonymous said...

Both sides act with the best of intentions to fulfill their needs. And that's the most you can ask for, that good friends will always try to act in the best way they know how.

neutron said...

coffeenista, wouldn't you agree that is exactly the problem? They mean well but simply don't know (soapbox advice). And again, since they mean well, we're more likely to listen and hence become misguided.

Eve Grey said...

Love this line:

Some are looking for answers while others don't even realize there are questions to be asked.

Anonymous said...

Neutron, I see what you mean. I guess the rule is you should always take advice with a grain of salt.