Who are our true friends? Are they the ones who comfort us when we fail and use facile and pleasing words to justify our inability? Or are they the ones who are blunt and matter of fact in pointing out to us where we went wrong even at the cost of bruising our ego and sometimes the friendship? As usual, I have no answers except to say that the True Friend strikes the Golden Mean of Aristotle. He is not rude but he is firm. He doesn’t ignore our faults and failures but doesn’t rub our noses in them either.
I used to be a friend who was blunt and rude in pointing out flaws. Then I realized that this was a great way of losing friendship! Today, I am polite and careful while speaking my mind to a friend about his decision or action. I am gentle and try advocacy rather than brute force and argument. Still, I feel sometimes friends should not venture opinions unless asked to do so.
But, when I need good counsel, I seek out those who can be blunt and clear with me. Like the surgeon who wields a sharp instrument to cure, these good friends use their words to guide me on the paths of wisdom, righteousness and achievement that is truly fulfilling.
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