My mind was in turmoil. He could see it on my face. Solicitously he asked if everything was alright.
I knew it was no use trying to fool him, and suddenly I was telling him what was on my mind -haltingly, because my mind was in such a turmoil that I couldn’t even get my own thoughts straightened out. I probably wasn’t very coherent. I hate to think how I must have sounded: probably as confused as I felt inside.
When I fell silent he looked thoughtful for a moment. Then, very gently, he probed a little bit. Not for his own benefit, as I realize now, but for my own. He is startlingly perspicacious. His questions made me think and as I did so, things began to fall into place and make sense. It dawned on me what the true problem was, and what was it’s solution. The turmoil abated significantly.
But now I felt a little humiliated. Why hadn’t I been able to see it on my own? Why did he always seem to be so far ahead of me? Could I ever ‘catch up’ to him?
However, my ruffled feelings didn’t last. Looking at him I saw the picture of equanimity, his whole face incandescent. There was no trace of pride, nor faulty ambition there and I was ashamed to have been offended. I was the proud one. He was just trying to help; being a good friend. What would I do without him?
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