All I See

After talking with one of my younger friends about college, I realized that when I give him advice, I usually have to make a choice. I could either tell him everything and shield him from harm's way, or I could give him sparse details and let him fill in the blanks himself and leave him responsible to make the connections.

For example, I could tell him all about drugs and what I think about them. I could tell him all the effects and why I don't do this, why I do that, and why I'd expect him to do this, to not do that.

Or, I could guide the discussion in a way that makes it so he learns himself and decides for himself what to make of everything.

Obviously, the second option sounds better, because it allows for him to grow and make his own decisions.

I just have to hope that he makes the choices that I hope he will.

Part of me wants to shield him from danger, to not even give him a chance to delve into things that I think will be bad for him. But another side wants me to allow him to make those decisions for himself.

I guess this is what being a parent is like.