“Wise words are like arrows flung at your forehead. What do you do? Why, you duck of course.”

-Steven Erikson, House of Chains

Advice. Everyone seems to have some. It’s not bad in and of itself, but too often we forget that what may work well for someone else might not be right for us.

Only a fool doesn’t consider what one more experienced than him or herself has to say. But it is equally foolish to blindly take a course just because it worked in another time and place for an individual’s own particular circumstances. Accept advice, but use it as a tool to forge your own path, rather than a rigid track from which you never stray.

Note to readers: Each week, I share a fantasy quote and indulge my inner philosopher with a brief essay based on said quote. Share your favorite quote with me and I might feature it in a future newsletter! Email: dtkane@dtkane.com.