Be the Sun

Be the Sun.

A friend had recently confided in me an issue he had.
Friend: "I need you advice. I have a close friend who had cultivated some bad habits. I tried to save him from destroying himself but its difficult. Any way I can save him?"
Simple Bear: "Don't save him."
Friend: "And leave him to walk towards his own demise? I can't do it."
Simple Bear: "I mean don't have the mentality of being a savior. We are the only ones who can save ourselves; no one else can. He is the only one who can save himself. We can only facilitate the process of him saving himself through support."
Friend: "But I can't just ignore him."
Simple Bear: "Do your best. Be there for him. If he doesn't develop any self awareness or insight into his own problems, there is a limit to what others can do for him. It is like a person lost in an underground maze but doesn't realize that he is lost. Be like the sun in the sky at the end of the maze to guide him into the sunlight. Till then, if he doesn't realize that he is lost, telling him that he is lost may not work."
Friend: "Just be the sun."
Simple Bear: "Yes. You need to be self-illuminating."
Friend: -_-!

To light up the worlds of others, we must first light up our own worlds by ourselves, to be our own Suns.

May all be well and happy.

With Loving-Kindness
Simple Bear 27.08.2016.