Your Secret’s Safe With Me
Updated: Sep 7, 2020
Many years ago, a friend shared with me her frustrations in life. Although we talked on the phone after office hours, we still interacted through email while we were in the office.
It was really no big deal for me. I was happy listening to her predicament while giving her advice. Then she told me, “You know, you could be a great counselor. You really give and write good advice.” Then I realized, I was writing her in a manner that you could see in advice columns in newspapers.
I don’t know. But friends and even random people come to me and tell their stories and secrets. And even though I don’t really have a good life or even consider myself successful, most of them say I give advice as if I have been in their shoes.
The stories they tell have left me amazed, dumbfounded and amused. And even though I hear whispers of their stories anywhere, I will always keep mum about it.
Yes, that’s right. I can keep a secret. But I used to be so careless before, spilling the beans as easily as I could.
Many years ago, a friend told me that she got a very low grade in Mathematics. I knew she was feeling bad about it. As I was talking to another friend about our grades, I unintentionally told her about our friend getting a low grade. When we got together during recess period, my friend suddenly told that other friend, “Hey, I heard you got a low grade in Math.” I was thinking that it was not really a big deal for me but when I saw my friend’s face, I knew that I let her down. She didn’t talk to me for days.
From then on, I learned my lesson. I made it a point not to spill secrets. I made it my motto to respect someone’s story. I vowed to myself that I would keep someone’s secret safe with me.
Friends still pop up from time to time asking for advice. Some of them are random ones but most of them are those who confided in me before. Most of the time, I can help, but there are a few times that I can’t do anything even if I want to help. That’s the worst part of being confided in, being helpless and can’t do anything about someone’s predicament. But I still give advice and it’s up to them if they want to heed it or not.
My aunt once told me it could have been great if I had an advice column in the newspaper. I even remember my dad told me I could be a great newscaster or journalist, too.
Anyway, I’m going off course with my topic. So, I gave what my aunt told me a really good thought. But I was shy and not confident with myself back then, not really believing in myself. I guess I always have been.
But I continued giving advice, making it somewhat like an article way of writing. Then I started to write blogs in Friendster and it made me realize that I could be somewhat good at this.
It’s a good feeling though that somebody comes to you for advice. It’s one of the best feelings that you can help someone in that way. It’s a great feeling that you can keep a secret. After that incident with my friend many years ago, I did my best to really zip my mouth every time. I don’t want to betray someone’s trust with their personal issues. If they tell you their story, it means they trust you to let it stay with you.
So, if you feel like you want to unburden yourself of something, you know where to find me. I can be a good listener and maybe I can give you good advice, too. And don’t worry, your secret’s safe with me.