My advice

 

People at work ask me for personal advice. I am good at advice because I practice giving advice every day, here, in this very space, to the whole world. 

So these people say to me "I have a problem. Can I have some advice?"

And I reply "Yes." And I sit up straight and listen.

They tell me the problem.

It's a tough one.

I say "You should do this, maybe."

They get a little tensed up. Then they respond that they can't do that because of some other problem.

So I think more carefully about it. 

"You should definitely do this, then." I tell them, having considered it and feeling pretty confident about my solution.

They get a little more tense.

"I can't do that." They tell me. "Because of this complicating factor that did not get mentioned earlier.

"Oh."  

So then I'm quiet for a bit.

"I'm really sorry about your problem." I say seriously. "It sounds so difficult and awful."

They relax for a moment. "Thank you." They reply gravely, and they walk away satisfied.

Like I said, I am good at advice.