"Her"

Grace

"I like it when I can help the ones close to me. It makes feel like I'm good for something other than work."

That young man has a very special place in your heart, doesn't he?

"Of course. He's family. In more ways than one. I'm glad I could help him get through this. Even though I suffered alone, he doesn't have too. He's got the support I never had."

Think any of your advice will stick?

"Which of my advice?"

The part about friends. The fame part I found interesting.

"Being able to count one's true friends one hand, and having an infinite amount of true associates? Yes, I think he'll pay attention to that one. As for fame, I'm not sure his ego will allow him to get very far without some recognition."

I found it interesting that you gave him help without denigrating those who hurt him. Explain how you did that.

"I wasted a lot of time hating those who hurt me until I realized true freedom could only be acheived by unleashing myself from my hatred, the final thing that bound me to them. And once I let the hatred go, I could see the motivations behind those people. I could see the faults that drove them to do what they did to me, and I could see them for what they really were. Broken. Broken people who as of yet, refuse to fix themselves. What's the use of crushing an already broken glass between your hands out of anger after it's cut you? That's useless. You might as well throw the glass away and be done with it. And there are always new glasses. New vessels for water, for milk, for anything else that's needed. Am I getting carried away with my analogies?"

She laughs. You're doing just fine. He called the both of you leaders.

"I'm not sure about that just yet. I'm still young and building my experience. But helping him out, encouraging him to get out of a bad situation and go for his dream. That's one hell of a start. I know he's on his way for sure."

What he said makes sense. You won't be climbing mountains forever. One day you'll reach the top.What will you do then? It would be wise to think on that, instead of limitless struggle. Of constant strife. One day soon, you'll get where you're going. Prepare.