I’ve been gullible in the past. Friends have said, “Come in, the
water’s lovely! Join us in this business venture/vacation/game.”
And I’ve just jumped in without looking. Funnily enough,
sometimes it’s turned out that the water is actually cold,
murky, muddy, clammy. And invariably wet. Ugh! I’ve also had
friends ask me to support them in ways that I haven’t thought
through. There’s an instinct to help your friends when they’re
in trouble, but sometimes a loan that isn’t repaid is more than
you can afford. Or putting in time to listen to their troubles
invades so much of your life that your family suffers.
So whether you’re jumping off that bridge with a friend or on
your own, just check the depth first. The water may indeed be
lovely, but sometimes it’s better to stand on a bank and dip a
toe in, or paddle about a bit, so you have a better idea what it
is you’re jumping in to.
SOMETIMES IT’S BETTER
TO STAND ON A BANK AND
DIP A TOE IN,
OR PADDLE ABOUT A BIT.