Recently, I've been trying to convince, or rather, persuade myself that just like how green sprouts always emerge after winter with the advent of springtime, there is always light at the end of the tunnel; a remedy to a cause of action; the closing submissions at the culmination of a trial; a reply after days of virtual silence.

One late night a few days ago, as we left the campus after yet another day of what has become an unwelcome routine of mugging, a friend asked me, after a deep, truthful conversation about related things, "you miss her is it?"

Yes, I do - if for nothing more but the company; a time when we both know (i think) that we can just be ourselves and just chill/htht over a simple meal; a welcome break amidst all the shit that school saddles you with. The antonym to out of sight, out of mind.

**

Each of us carry some baggage from the past - be it not very nice reputations, regrets or just plain silly/retarded things that on hindsight we should not have done. The chance to start afresh and prove yourself to others is valuable. Impressions are not cast in stone, just like how stereotypes and generalisations are not representative of the whole. There is always a context hiding somewhere, submerged under varying layers of abstract. It may not be clear at first instance, but every layer, when understood properly, leads you to the next until, voila, the true context sees the light of day.

To this, Sun's words, in the context of counselling and discipleship, are apposite.

"I always believe that we can never love at the expense of truth. The Bible says that God is love, but He is also the God of truth. If you really love a person, you have to tell him or her the truth�that�s why the Bible says, �Faithful are the wounds of a friend.� But yet, like what John 1:14 says, Jesus is full of grace and truth�I do believe that when we speak the truth, we must be gracious and tactful. Some people then say, �But I am not a naturally sensitive or tactful person, how do I do that?�

I would suggest, why don�t you put yourself in the other person�s shoes? If you can picture yourself in that person�s shoes, you will think about how you want someone to break the truth to you. You�ll think, �How would I want those words to be said to me?� If you can think like that, then it will come out all right. Also, I try to use �we� instead of �you�, because most of us have experienced, or are still experiencing, the same problems as well; I will remember that I was once in their shoes.

I believe that once our mindset or our mentality is right, the Holy Spirit will then give us the wisdom to speak the truth in love."

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