Beeker’s Words

(photo by: RSEanes)

I got some good advice from my friend today. She said, “If you are unsure about something, don’t act until you are sure.” (I just paraphrased that.)   This was good advice for my situation and it was contrary to what I usually do. I typically rush in to save the day.  It is kinda like when you are in school and the teacher asks a question that you know the answer too but she asks your clueless friend sitting next to you. You want to mutter the answer under your breath to help out your friend but are you really helping them?  Maybe the embarrassment of not knowing the answer will prompt your friend to study and be better prepared. Giving them the answer gives them a fish for one meal versus teaching them how to fish so that they never go hungry.  That moment of feeling like you helped your friend actually contributed to their inability to handle future situations.  It really hit me that I wasn’t making situations better by making a small problem go away because the larger problem is still there festering.  Failure is not the end of the world and if often the impetus for great ideas and future success.  I want to help people learn to fish, even though I make an amazing seared salmon dish!