“A friend is one to who we may pour out the contents of our hearts, chaff and grain together, knowing that the gentlest of hands will sift it, keep what is worth keeping, and with a breath of kindness blow the rest away.” -An Arabian Definition

Friend and Friendship:
“When troubles come your soul to try,
You love a friend who just stands by;
Perhaps there’s nothing he can do,
The thing is strictly up to you;
For there are troubles all your own,
And paths the soul must tread alone,
Times when love can’t smooth the road,
Nor friendship lift the heavy load.
But just to feel you have a friend,
Who will stand by until the end,
Whose sympathy through all endures,
Whose warm handclasp is always yours,
It helps somehow to pull you through,
Although there’s nothing he can do.
And so with fervent heart we say:
‘God bless the friend who just stands by.’ “
-selected

Your Choice
It is very common for most of us to choose between this and that when we are to make an important decision in our lives. We often struggle between two jobs. One pays well, but it does not hold enough interest for you. The other pays less, but it holds your heart. Sound familiar? I thought it did. When we face this, for our necessity we choose the former, not the latter. It is probably a right and wise thing to pursue. But as a life coach, I would like to raise a question. Is it really the best choice?
The issue is that when we face an important decision making moment, we do not realize that there are in fact more than two options to choose from. This can be either due to the pressure which is caused by the reality of two choices, or a blindness to the outside of reality. It could even be both the reality and the blindness.
Therefore, it is important to acknowledge that there are not only two options to choose from. There are more than two opportunities from which to choose. However, you cannot see this when you are locked in your own reality. It is necessary for you to come out of your reality, like that of a box. When you leave your “reality box,” you could see an unknown world which had been there all the time. It is neither new, nor extraordinary. It is just invisible to you from inside your box. Since your box has not only four walls, but also has a bottom and a top, it can completely block your sight. You could try to make numerous holes around the walls, top and bottom, instead of just coming out of your box. Instead, you stay where you find a certain measure of security. If you decide to do this, you probably end up spending a lot more of your efforts making holes than trying to come out of your box. Yet, you will be still in it in where your sight is limited and incomplete.
Hence, if you have guts to make holes around your box, you better save it for the world outside of the box and come out of it. You know that coming out of your box may cause you to ask an important question about your security. It may also give you a red light to maintain your comfort zone. However, if you dismiss the red light, it means that you are coming out of your box. How exciting! You are coming out of your box to see the world outside. It is not an escape, but a potential expansion. It is not a convenient choice, but it might be the best one. It is not an inconsiderate resolution, but a considerate one. If you are happy with your job, those around you will also be happier. Now, isn’t that considerate of you? Remember the best paying job may not be the best job or calling for you. There is nothing of which to be scared, but instead be courageous, because the battle is not yours and yours alone, but it is the Almighty’s.