thoughts on the news of the day: advice

hmmm…..

            No doubt President Obama and all of the leaders in Congress are getting lots of advice these days on how to solve the debt ceiling problem. 

            I broke one of my personal rules yesterday. It’s an important one that I try to live by every day:  “Don’t give advice unless it is asked for.”  My daughter called yesterday to talk about a relationship problem she was having.  She just wanted to sound out on someone else.  You might say she was just thinking out loud.  Usually she can trust me to keep my mouth shut and just listen.  But not yesterday.  I was ready.  I told her what to do; and she didn’t want to hear it.  She wanted me to listen to her.

            We do that, don’t we?  We think we can solve other people’s problems with our infinite wisdom, but we cannot. 

            Other side of the coin.  I have another personal rule that I follow.  I don’t ask for advice from anyone, unless I intend to take the advice they give to me.  So I am very careful whom I ask for advice and I don’t ask for advice very often.

            Advice is cheap.  In fact, most times, short of Dr. Phil or Suze Orman, it’s free.  No, wait, it’s free on their television shows, too.  You can get advice from anyone, but you don’t have to take it.

            So, here’s my advice:  Give advice – but only if it’s asked for; and take advice --but only if you have asked for it.

            hmmm…..