Title: The Teacher’s Dilemma

I am a person who likes to help others.

I have learned a lot in Life … much of it, the “Hard Way” …

and when I observe something happening wherein I have experience and haved, “earned my way” to success through the path of prior failures,

I often want to help others by suggesting methods that I have used successfully so that they are not required to repeat my prior errors and repeat my pain of Learning.

The problem I have is, that in doing so, I sometimes deprive those people of the privelege of learning through their own experiences.

Quaere:

How do you know “when” to offer your help and when to remain silent and just watch someone you care about receive a painful lesson you absolutely could have prevented?

Which is “Better?”

Is it “Better” to “Butt out,” be silent, just watch and let them get the experience the same way I did … irrespective of the pain I could have prevented?

or is it “better” to “go ahead” and risk the possibility of their resentment by offering suggestions to try to help them avoid that unnecessary pain?

Which is the “better way” to love my friend?

Robert Jorrie