Good advice is good advice. Bad advice is common. 09/13

I explained and I considered and I evaluated and I analyzed until I couldn’t have possibly analyzed any more. We sat in silence for what seemed like forever and, gradually, I began to stare off into space. Finally, she began.

"God is good all the time, and all the time, God is good! I know you’re hurt, and I hate to point this out, but you knew something like this would happen eventually. What goes around comes around. You can’t tell me you honestly thought you’d get away with it, did you? He might not know what you did this summer but I know and you know, and most importantly, God knows. I know you’re angry. You have every right to be. Aside from a well-deserved backhand from karma, you knew better. You knew exactly what you were getting yourself into. Everyone tried to warn you. They tried to tell you he didn’t like you for you, but you’ve always been so optimistic. Don’t get me wrong! I love that quality about you, but sometimes your brightness and confidence in others clouds your judgment. You ‘made him happy’ whether you ‘were next to him or not,’ but that was easier believed while you were actually next to him. After all, it only took him, what, two weeks to move on and find someone new? Did you honestly believe he’d wait for you? Ha! Put on life through his glasses. An hour is closer than eight hours and twenty minutes is even closer than an hour. I don’t care what anyone says; location is key. But look on the bright side, kid! You’re young. You’ve got your entire life ahead of you. You can’t hold all of that against him. He could have been honest, sure, but you could have been honest, too. You could have vocalized that after all that time and all those fights and all your so-called ‘logic’ you were only inches away from taking the giant leap of faith he’d urged you to take only weeks earlier. He had no idea. He had no idea that if he had just picked up the phone you would have eagerly blurted out, ‘I’m ready!’ You didn’t mean to fall so hard; no one ever does. And now you’re back at square one, again, wondering where to go. Wondering who you can trust. It’s okay to be angry. You were wronged--you were thoroughly blind-sighted--but as Christians, we know that all things work together for good! Right now, you don’t understand why all these seemingly terrible things happen to you, but ultimately, there is a reason. Pick yourself up and dust yourself off. Again. We all know you can do it because, well, you’ve done it before. He’s not the first friend who’s ever let you down. He’s not even the first best friend who’s ever let you down. He’s not the first boy to trade you in for a better looking brand, either, and unfortunately, he probably won’t be the last. Don’t be afraid. Don’t cower in the corner. Get up anyway."

The succeeding silence indicated that it was time for me to tune back into reality. Turn back on. I replaced my blank stare with a respectful smile. I thanked her for her time politely but after all was said and done, only one solitary thought stuck out in my mind: maybe I shouldn’t transfer after all. Maybe I should stay right here, locked safely inside my conservative jail cell, 516.1 miles away from you and the friend you really turned out to be.