When it comes down to it, you might bite your tongue and
desperately attempt to keep all your comments to yourself in the spirit of not
hurting others, inwardly knowing that at some point you are going to
desperately want to say ‘I told you so’ to someone you care about.
But there is no joy in that phrase when the inevitable
actually happens. I’m in that position at the moment. Something that I knew was
not right from the start has come to a somewhat bitter end, but now when the
opportunity has presented itself, I feel no desire to say those awful words.
Knowing it would end was an irritating burden that, now the
end has come, feels like more of a punishment than anything else. Is that the
duty of friendship, to carry and conceal the bad parts of life until they
naturally reveal themselves, and then offer a somewhat censored support at the
end? I can’t think of another phrase that would have quite the sting than if I
were to turn to my friend now and offer only the selfish comfort of ‘I told you
so.’
Elloise Hopkins.
To me the duty of friendship is always to advise, to help and question things when I think they are wrong. But never interfere directly. And if your advice or help is ignored and you turn out to be right, help pick up the pieces. People need to make their own mistakes, just help them to get over them.
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