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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!db
From: db@cbosgd.UUCP (J. Muir)
Newsgroups: net.singles
Subject: Re: What is a friend?
Message-ID: <1654@cbosgd.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 3-Dec-85 23:42:14 EST
Article-I.D.: cbosgd.1654
Posted: Tue Dec  3 23:42:14 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 5-Dec-85 06:17:21 EST
References: <2359@umcp-cs.UUCP> <226@unirot.UUCP>
Reply-To: db@cbosgd.UUCP (J. Muir)
Organization: The Bohemian Grove
Lines: 25

In article <226@unirot.UUCP> pooh@unirot.UUCP (Pooh) writes:
> :
> :
>My point is that you CANNOT force help on someone who doesn't want it.
>No matter how nicely you phrase it, going to someone and saying, "Look,
>you're making a mess of your life" is not going to do anything unless
>that person a) wants help, or b) is open-minded enough to look at it
>and say, "Gosh, you're right--thanks for telling me."
>
> :
> :

Truer words were never spoken (written).  One of the most painful
experiences I've gone through is trying to help someone who didn't
want to be helped.  She freely admitted she had a serious emotional
problem, but was firmly convinced she was doomed to be miserable
forever.  I lost a friend and made myself miserable in the process.

Listen to Pooh on this one, folks: she knows whereof she speaks.

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