True friends stab you in the front
Keep you from get­ting what you want
When one more fix could kill you
They help you real­ize that
You’re more and less than you first had believed
You’ve so much to give and there’s so much you need
Shortcuts through grave­yards and a brand new way to breathe
Three thou­sand miles just to learn
All that’s gold does not all shine
And help­ing words aren’t always kind
When one more kiss could kill you
They help you real­ize that
You’re more and less than you first had believed
You’ve so much to give and there’s so much you need
Shortcuts through grave­yards and a brand new way to breathe
Three thou­sand miles just to learn
How to let my guard down

—Thrice,The Beltsville Crucible

When you look back at the prob­lems you faced a year ago, they seem insignif­i­cant com­pared to the prob­lems you face now. Finding out how things end up, and see­ing the path that your actions have paved, makes every­thing passed seem sim­ple and log­i­cal. Even know­ing this, I still look back on a time when I was faced with a trou­bling dilemma, a sit­u­a­tion where I con­tinue to won­der what I may have done dif­fer­ently. At the time, I brought my trou­bles up to Darren, a per­son with whom I could always con­fide with­out being judged.

His advice was to give no advice at all. He told me that he under­stood how I dealt with my prob­lems, being one to always weigh the options care­fully, and that he knew I would make the right deci­sion. Perhaps being his older cousin, the one he him­self has always turned to for advice, made the sit­u­a­tion strange to him. Nonetheless, it was the first time I had expe­ri­enced such a trust, and it was heart­en­ing to know that some­one respected me enough to put his faith in me before I know­ing what my choice was.

I admit­ted this to John, and he told me that the worst mis­take he could make was assum­ing that I would make the right deci­sions. As he put it, it’s his job to keep me in check and make me con­stantly ques­tion the things that I do. Of course, he always presents things tact­fully, so he doesn’t end up hurt­ing more than helping.

Neither Darren or John is more cor­rect than the other, because it all depends on the rela­tion­ship. You need some friends to under­stand what you do. You need other friends to stab you in the front. I know I can count on Darren to accept my deci­sions, and I know I can count on John to give me the hon­est truth when I need it. The impor­tant part is the respect that goes both ways. Without respect, an opin­ion is mean­ing­less. My intro­duc­tion to the dominant/submissive lifestyle has given this even more significance.

Gimmie a girl who I can respect enough to under­stand this, and who can respect me enough to be her crucible.

The Thrice = Love Series

1. Introduction
2. The Journey
3. As The Crucible
4. Rock It
5. The Rush
6. Far From The End