Advice

Click here to eThere seems to be so much advice out there.  It is so easy to know best, or think I know best, for someone.
I got accosted at our shopping centre the other day. Someone had some advice for me.  It was good advice, and it was right, but I was not ready to receive it.  In that case I did what I do in such situations.  I just let it go.  I let the person say what they wanted to, but did not respond how they would have liked.  As is always the case, the person matters the most to me.  Once they had had their say, I found they were really nice.  I saw them around the shopping centre a few times, and we had good talks about other things.  I opened up.  When they were telling me what they wanted to tell me, I was closed.  It did not mean I was a closed person, it just meant I was not ready to receive what they had to say.
As I say, it was good advice, but I was not ready to receive it at that time.  There probably will come a time when I’m ready, but then was not it.  At the right time, although I have probably heard it many times, it will be like a light bulb moment for me.  It will be like I am hearing it for the first time.
Advice often is not wasted, but the timing can be wrong.  I try to guard against that.  If it is right, but the wrong time, to insist is to potentially do damage.  One day it may be appropriate, but the person needs to know they are accepted no matter what, before they will listen to me.
The shopping centre thing could have led to a confrontation.  I have seen what started out very simply, escalate into a shouting match.  Two people not willing to yield.  I don’t know that anyone feels better for feeling bad.  In this case the task at hand was abandoned by both.  What was designed to bring simple pleasure, ended up being an experience both would prefer to forget.  To me it is not worth it.  Some people refuse to accept anything that is not their view, while for others it is just a matter of timing.
Timing is everything.  The thing said about most great sportspeople, is the time they appear to have. Practice often means they have been there and done that, and know what to do.  Advice may be good and right, but the timing needs to be right to. 
I do not know if I still have it, but I had a picture of me playing table tennis and everything looked right.  The position, the crouch, the follow through and even what I was wearing. When everything is right, it can lead to a winner.
Advice to me is a bit like that.  It may be right, but if the timing is out, everything goes into the net.  However, when the timing is right along with everything else, the result is good.dit.