Taking a risk on a friend who’s changed is a kind of grace. Give the second chance with your eyes open.
RESILIENCE
WHAT THIS MEANS
Giving someone another chance is a genuine risk, because a change cannot be verified in advance; it can only be watched for. Grace does not mean pretending the old behaviour never happened. It means letting new behaviour count while your memory stays intact. Eyes open means you remain willing to notice, not that you stay permanently suspicious.
Offer the second chance on something small and see how a few weeks go. Decide in advance what would tell you nothing has changed, so you are not making that call in the middle of being hurt.
A QUESTION TO SIT WITH
Which friend has changed enough for you to try again?
MORE IN COURAGE & RISK
- Calling a friend to walk you to your car at night isn’t timid. Smart and brave sit in the same seat.
- You can be brave about big things and still be scared of spiders. Courage isn’t all-or-nothing.
- The first solo sail is the moment you realize nobody else is going to make the call. That’s both terrifying and freeing.
Free, with nothing to buy inside it.