Re: Undying love for my best friend...please read(long)
...what do I do when Feb 1st comes and his rent is due..and he cant pay it?? How do those talks go on the phone? Knowing that Im not helping him and noone else is?? How do I handle those talks???
...what would you do?
Bri
Brian ...
The question shouldn't be what do YOU do, but, rather, what are THEY going to do? It is truly THEIR responsibility! THEY need to come up with a solution. It is THEIR problem! THEY are the ones that have gotten themselves into this situation. And, perhaps becoming desparate, will get THEM to finally "step up" to having to take care of themselves! So ... YOU shouldn't DO anything!
I know ... not easy! But it really is the best possible way to Help them in the long run. THEY need to LEARN this Lesson!! It's called "Tough" Love because it's so difficult for all involved. But ... something that is necessary to endure, and eventually far more beneficial, for Everyone.
I've been there! I've had to do this! I, too, had to withhold further financial support from a long-time, good, friend. But ... despite some rough spots for him, it did turn out for the best! He has even Thanked! me since then, for helping him, by NOT helping him anymore, at that time. He has said it changed his life for the better. He is doing O.K. now!
He still owes me money, though. I'm not concerned about that. He has pledged to pay it back. It's up to him, now. (We'll see ... ) But, more importantly, we are a bit closer, having gone through that together.
So ... how did I do that? I had to simply tell him that "that well had run dry"! I just didn't have the resources to "help" anymore. I WISH I could, as I had before. But, right then, it just wasn't possible.
I told him it was time to stop FEELING about his situation, and start
objectively THINKING about it. What could HE possibly do to get through it? I told him to write down
every possible option he could think of ... including the ones he didn't want to think about. I told him he may have to do things that he didn't WANT to do, but HAD to do. I told him it was a temporary situation, that things would get better, but that HE had to take his own steps to get through it.
I told him that once he had his list down, I'd go over it with him. We'd look at ALL his options, together, and highlight what was Practical vs. what was merely Desirable. And maybe we'd even be able to add some options he hadn't thought of himself. TOGETHER we would come up with a course of action. Eventhough I couldn't help with money, anymore, I could still be there for him, and do my best to help him find a way through. It would involve some tough decisions, but he would not be alone getting through them! It was something that HE had to do, but he wouldn't be doing it all by himself!
We went over his available resources. We discussed job alternatives. He ended up moving to a cheaper place, selling some things he didn't really NEED, trading down to more affordable transportation, and cutting out all expenses that were "optional" (cable, entertainment, ordering out food, etc., etc.) We "dialed down" his life style to the absolute basics. And though some of it seemed "painful" at the time, none of those actions were actually going to "hurt" him. We did keep him "on line" though. He needed the access to look for a better job. And, eventually, it all Worked!!!
Now it's time for Andy, and "Girl", to face up to their own Reality. You can help them, just not with money! But THEY have to be willing to do it!
Brian, Buddy, I am sincerely wishing YOU, and Them, ALL the Very Best through this! It IS do-able!!
And ... of course ... no matter what ...
Keep smilin'!!
Chaz
