Lessons

As I sit here reading through comments, I am seeing what others have seen through a different light. Whereas I frequent the places that have a lot of lighthearted bantering, I find quite a few Massive Red zones.

Angel69; You have sought my advice of late, I will impart some more. A new friend of mine has as a signature that says "The opposite of talking isn't listening. The opposite of talking is waiting." What I see hear is that though you are getting better at taking advice, the part you have yet to achieve, is listening. That requires a lot of alone time(not neccesarily done alone,) and an abundant amount of thought.

The point that I am making here is that if you don't want to discuss something, try just leaving any remarks about it in your mind. People will drop it on their own without any promting because it is not discussed. Now whether you actually take any of this to heart is a horse of another color.

Quill; Some things are better left alone. This you know personally and have demostrated numerous times here and in other venues. Sometimes a helping hand is viewed as an insult or an intrusion. It is a pride thing, something we all have. We have a worse time to even atttempt to overcome. There are scars so deep that they will never heal, not even the closest of friends or family can help with that. The skill I want you to concentrate on is that silent support and understander role. It is the most difficult type of help you can supply, the urge to try to make it better will try to arrise because you care. But just stand firm and BE THERE! That would do more wonders than all the words of all the languages ever spoken on Earth.

Now. This is not an attack on either of you, just an observation and friendly advice. I will say my standard thing, not because it is a cop-out, but because it is TRUE. What I have told both of you is not an easy thing to do or accomplish, and can not be done in short order. Take time, contemplate it, ask questions instead of make comments. That is the first step in everything, to question. You have both taken great steps onto the road of Understanding. I must warn you as I was not warned; It is a long and arduous journey, and often taken alone.

P.S. Sorry if I am depressing anyone. I reread this and saw that it was a serious damper on the lighthearted and giddy mood that was starting to overtake the Council Chambers.

My Apologies to all.