#4 Magic-leeches

So yesterday I had my whole shpiel about tough decisions. I want to do a part 2 to this story. Let me tell you a little bit about what happened next:

Nothing! 

I didn’t get in trouble, didn’t lose money, get yelled at, or anything of the sort! I just came into work, my boss gave me a hard time for it, we laughed about it, and then we went on with the day. The point I want to emphasize is this: be intentional about who you let yourself be around. Some people will try to destroy your magic, and some people will try to fuel it. Take note of which people are which. 

Some might be hostile to your magic. They might make themselves your enemy, trying to actively rob you of all that you have. I hardly need to talk about these people, because we all know about them. It might be an angry boss, a classmate or coworker that’s mean to you, or a  neighbor who just plain doesn’t like you. Whoever they are, they are very unfriendly. You might be tempted to try to befriend them because you feel bad for them, but you can’t take on the world. Chances are, they will drag you down and make you a problem for the next person. Don’t let them suck the life out of you. 

The second type is far sneakier. Much like Tarby, these people may pretend to be friends with ulterior motives. Heck, they may actually be friends who mean well, but have trouble showing it. They might tell you to blend in where you ought to stand out. They may try to convince you to be “normal,” when embracing your not-normalness is what makes you special. Whatever the case, your best bet is to push back a little. There is a time and place to blend in a little more, but it isn’t very often. 

I have had a few friends over the years who have found themselves in this second category. Some of them were just tired of listening to me yap in class, others were curious about the life I was living. But I always did my best to think through things for myself, preserving my spark to the best of my ability even when it annoyed them. It’s important to have a deep understanding of what inspires you and why. And a good back-and-forth will help a lot with that. Just remember that people who steal your magic. Whether they are trying to or not, they’re no good. If you can’t get them to stop it, then you may need to distance yourself from them. 

But there comes a time when you can’t really leave them alone. You may have a boss who’s a real jerk at a job you can’t just quit. Your teacher, parent, or sibling might make you want to be a little less yourself around them. You might want them to go away, but they won’t. What do you do then? First of all, you should know that they will still be around. Sometimes knowing someone will be there helps us brace ourselves, which helps make things easier. Second, do as little interacting with them as you can. Tell them that they are hurting you, and if they don’t stop, keep your feelings to yourself. Don’t tell them about your day or get excited or sad around them. Just tell them what they want to hear and then go away when you can. Not everyone has to see your magic. 

So seek out the people that bring you life. Stay in touch with those that make life worth living. It may sound like work, but when people bring you to life, you will naturally want them around. And chances are that they will feel the same about you. I pray you have the courage to get rid of the leeches, and are blessed with good, uplifting friends. 

Until next time

May Peace be your Guide.