“A fool’s way is right in his own eyes, but whoever listens to counsel is wise… the tongue of the wise brings healing.”
Proverbs 12:15–19 (CSB)
This past week has been hard—not in a fun way, but in a way I believe I needed. A lot of my insecurities and fears were brought to the surface. I don’t think it came from malice, but from truth… and truth can hurt.
There are times I know I’m wrong, times I choose the gray areas, and times I don’t even realize the harm I’m causing. No matter where it falls, being called out is painful—but necessary. This verse reminds me that just because something feels right to me doesn’t mean it is, and that I need to listen when truth is spoken into my life.
The people willing to have those hard conversations are the ones you should hold onto. Right now, I don’t have that opportunity. I broke trust. I haven’t been the friend I should’ve been, and I’ve lost relationships because of it.
That conversation gave me a lot to take to prayer and a lot to be aware of moving forward. I don’t want to cause harm or drama—but if I’m honest, sometimes I do. In trying to do what I thought was right, I burned bridges, lost meaningful friendships, and hurt people along the way.
In therapy, it was explained to me like this: I’m like a fire. Instead of building something steady and intentional, I burn hot and fast. I take more than I give. I rely on others to keep things going while ignoring what they need. And eventually, people get worn out trying to sustain something I’m not nurturing.
Another way it was described is like a ladder—healthy relationships are built step by step, with mutual trust and honesty. But I haven’t been doing that. I’ve rushed it, taken more than I’ve given, and taken people for granted. And it cost me.
That’s hard to admit, but it’s the truth.
Starting over won’t be easy, but I want to do this differently. I want my words to bring healing, not harm. I want my actions to match what I say. I’ll be working on making living amends and being intentional in how I build relationships moving forward.
To those I’ve hurt, to those who lost trust in me—I am truly sorry. And even though it was painful, I’m grateful for the truth that opened my eyes before it was too late.
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