Advice and the Art of Saving the World

I'm the go-to guy..

The "rock solid"..

The "voice of reason"

I have never shyed away from giving advice. I have an opinion on a lot of things, done a lot of stuff, but i'm not vocal about it (barring something that is *really* pissing me off..) What i've always found odd is how many are drawn to me to get it.

Lemmie 'splain..

Some of my fondest, deepest, most cherished friends will have issues.. need advice.. sometimes a (verbal) kick in the ass. It go's without saying that these people would approach me: they're my friends.. and that's what you do when you are a friend.. you invest yourself in an empatetic, sympathetic manor to get them through whatever ails them, be it brutally honest opinion, white lies, a kind word, or a smack upside the head.

In my case, it's also strangers.. passing acquaintances, people i barely know, who open themselves up to me.. intimate details about their relationships, advise regarding their career, *sexual issues* (NB: it's the little, awkward moments in your life that truly bring you joy.. ~cherish these~)

I don't know exactly why people come to me.. Maybe there's something about me that causes them to gravitate my way.. Maybe i'm simply the closest warm body who'll listen; maybe i'm the "divested stranger" they need: an untainted view because i don't know the actors in the play..

I like to think it's all of these.. mostly, it's my *EGO* that likes to think it's all of these, because of the simple fact that out of everyone, these people chose 'me' to open up to.. there's a lot of humble-nobility and satisfaction in this little ego trip.. because, for the most part, people are doing it because they have taken a chance in confide their trust to you..  Sometimes i would text my ex (a therapist) during work hours, simply asking her "whatcha doing hun? saving the world?" she'd almost without fail reply:  "absolutely :-)",  fully understanding how close to the truth this actually was..

The thing is, people have given you their trust, and you have an obligation to honor and respect that trust, no mater how familiar, distal, or awkward it can be in the asking (or the answering)... but the key to honoring it is that advice isn't necessarily about the advice, or expert opinion, or expertise: it's about listening.. And in the listening is sometimes all it requires to actually save someone's world...

Its a calling, i think.. i'm good at it,  i embrace it, and i truly relish in being "that guy".. especially when it comes to simply "being there" for those who need it.. mostly friends, family and loved one's, but anyone's welcome really..  still don't know why they gravitate to me, but whatever the reason pales in comparison to what i can give them for doing it..

So, hats off to you therapists, advisors, and go-to people..
my kin...

Love and respect.


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