Opposite Days

There are really only two types of good advice - those things that we already know, and those that we don't want to hear. Everything else is highly likely to get us in trouble, or is something that we think would make us feel better (which may or may not be true).

Or at least, that's how I feel. I've lost count of the times that this principle rang true.

I (vividly) remember the last time I heeded someone whose encouraging words were those that I agreed with (or to put it more accurately, I wanted to hear). Things ended up in metaphorical flames - much like the Hindenburg, if it took six months for the blimp to hit the ground.

It's therefore ironic that one of the best decisions I've ever made was influenced by a friend who laid out a plan that I thought was extremely counter-intuitive at the time. It involved a lot of personal sacrifice, miles of walking (and running into old friends by pure luck) and the dreariest six months of my life.

I guess that's a good way to measure one's friends. More often than not, they see what we refuse to see and tell us what we need to hear.