I want to consider the advice that we receive. Sometimes two friends that seemingly have the same sensibilities can give us completely opposite opinions on what we should do or how we should proceed in a given situation. I have noticed that I tend to brush off the advice that people give me, especially when it is unsolicited, and do what I was originally doing or what I originally had planned. Who wants to spend time thinking and pondering and running things through in our mind? I tend to be rather stubborn in my approach to many things. Sometimes this works in my favor, sometimes not. What got me started on today's blog is the advice that I have gotten from friends through the years and what I have done with it. Sometimes I take advice that I am given and trample all over it. Sometimes I do this because I have fooled myself into thinking that I have everything under control. Other times I scoff at advice because it is not something that I want to face or to deal with. When things fall apart or don't go our way, we can sure kick ourselves really hard when we were given plenty of warnings along the way. I suspect that many of us have these self-inflicted bruises from past episodes. Perhaps good advice can be tossed aside because we don't care for or don't respect or don't know those that are dishing it out. I think this is an important point. I have a couple of friends that I can talk to about pretty much anything. They have a way of listening without prejudice or revulsion. They respond with love and respect. No judging or sentencing. When they give advice, it is a wonderful combination of reasoned, wise, and non-hostile. This is not to say that their words cannot be quite convicting. Friends like these are a blessing and should be embraced.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Take my Advice
I want to consider the advice that we receive. Sometimes two friends that seemingly have the same sensibilities can give us completely opposite opinions on what we should do or how we should proceed in a given situation. I have noticed that I tend to brush off the advice that people give me, especially when it is unsolicited, and do what I was originally doing or what I originally had planned. Who wants to spend time thinking and pondering and running things through in our mind? I tend to be rather stubborn in my approach to many things. Sometimes this works in my favor, sometimes not. What got me started on today's blog is the advice that I have gotten from friends through the years and what I have done with it. Sometimes I take advice that I am given and trample all over it. Sometimes I do this because I have fooled myself into thinking that I have everything under control. Other times I scoff at advice because it is not something that I want to face or to deal with. When things fall apart or don't go our way, we can sure kick ourselves really hard when we were given plenty of warnings along the way. I suspect that many of us have these self-inflicted bruises from past episodes. Perhaps good advice can be tossed aside because we don't care for or don't respect or don't know those that are dishing it out. I think this is an important point. I have a couple of friends that I can talk to about pretty much anything. They have a way of listening without prejudice or revulsion. They respond with love and respect. No judging or sentencing. When they give advice, it is a wonderful combination of reasoned, wise, and non-hostile. This is not to say that their words cannot be quite convicting. Friends like these are a blessing and should be embraced.
