There are times you’ve tried to tell somebody something you know to be true for their own good, but they don’t seem to hear you. If they are old enough to make their own decisions, you must let those people you love try life their way and if they must, fall flat on their face, as long as they don’t get hurt to badly. Even if you know that their way doesn’t work, they may not readily accept someone else’s suggestions, so give them the respect of letting them do THEIR life THEIR way. They may be more apt to listen to you if they can see for themselves that doing things in the way they are going isn’t working. You learn life’s lessons much better in the Valley than you do on the mountain tops.
Often, that’s the only way that people learn. It would be nice if you could tell them the stove is hot and they would heed your warning, or you could show them your burned hand and they would hear your warning, but it doesn’t work like that with everybody. Some people have to burn their hand for themselves. That means you have to be tough enough to allow them to do it. It sounds easy but sometimes, our emotions torture us while those we love are learning their lesson because we love them so much. Swallow hard if you must but learn to get passed it and realize that each person gets to choose their own path, for better or worse. It is their right.
Being a parent or a good friend means loving enough to be honest and letting them grow, make decisions and learn from failing and succeeding. It’s not always easy, but giving others the full truth – especially when it’s hard – empowers them to make wise decisions. Support means more than comfort; it means clarity, even when the truth might challenge or change their path.