Black People : Keep Friends Close, Enemies Closer ?

[Destee]

Peace and Blessings Family,

I've heard this phrase before ... "Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer" ... but i don't agree with that.

Do you? If so, why?

Please help me understand why i'd want an enemy near me.

I want my enemies as far away from me as possible.

I'm so protective of my space and peace, i don't want anyone in it, that means me no good.

I'm often amazed, even in this community, that people who clearly do not like me, come here.

What is that about?

I realize that this is a collective effort, and it's not all about me (liking me is not required for Membership), but ... with so many other places to visit on the net ... why do they come here? I don't want them here, but the collective Spirit in me, requires that i be nice, kind, tolerant, etc., to all Sisters and Brothers ... but why do they come here? When they could go anywhere.

If i didn't like a person ... i'd not go around them. Period.

Do they subscribe to the enemies closer thing? Just wanting me close to them?

Oh Gosh ... tell me Family ... what's up with the ... Friends Close, Enemies Closer thing?

I currently subscribe to the Trick Daddy and Lil Jon positioning :

If you aint no kin to me or friend to me, B don't pretend to be, (What!)

Do you subscribe to that kind of thinking ... keeping your enemies close to you?

Please vote in the poll above, and leave your comments below.

Thanks in advaince.



Destee

 

[PurpleMoons]

I subscribe to this kind of thinking Sis. Not literally in the sense of having an enemy all up in my space, but rather knowing/considering what may be their next move.

I suppose those who resent you may have some type of love/hate thing going on. They envy you, but love what you have and/or created.

Some just waiting for the opportunity to belittle you or strike you down in front of those who love and care about you. Causing this enemy to feel some type of false superiority over you.

You can never tell whats truly in the hearts and minds of a sworn enemy, nor the reasoning why they need to be up close and personal. But one thing about keeping them close in your thoughts is, you can almost always see them coming, and from what angle they'll plan their attack... leaving you to always be prepared and one step ahead.

 

[lilpea]

Greetings Sister Destee

There is another saying also..."the eyes are the windows to the soul"...for me that's reason enough. Another.."Time will Tell" and for some that is what is needed to see a person's true nature. This I learn form you my sister. All I can and will say Sister is..I can only make recommendations, the final decision is up to you. Make your's and lets move on. But peace must prevail in this community. I don't know of any other site that will give a person a 10th of a chance to be repeat offender...our problem is we feel we have to..and that is wrong. Again Make your decision and stick to it. Next time do it sooner..or you may just have to live with it. By not doing it sooner you may be showing a person and others you are enjoying their drama.

Lilpea

 

[Destee]

I subscribe to this kind of thinking Sis. Not literally in the sense of having an enemy all up in my space, but rather knowing/considering what may be their next move.

I suppose those who resent you may have some type of love/hate thing going on. They envy you, but love what you have and/or created.

Some just waiting for the opportunity to belittle you or strike you down in front of those who love and care about you. Causing this enemy to feel some type of false superiority over you.

You can never tell whats truly in the hearts and minds of a sworn enemy, nor the reasoning why they need to be up close and personal. But one thing about keeping them close in your thoughts is, you can almost always see them coming, and from what angle they'll plan their attack... leaving you to always be prepared and one step ahead.

Sister Purple ... thanks for your response.

I can understand trying to be a step ahead, when you do know you have an enemy and stuff ... but to keep them close to you ... closer than you'd keep a friend? That just doesn't sit well in my Spirit at all.

I've never tried doing it, keeping an enemy closer than a friend, but it seems it would be very taxing. You'd have to always be watching what they are doing, always on guard, always looking over your shoulder, always leery of what they put before you ... it seems that it would require you (me) to be fake with them ... because i'd have to smile and act like everything is good, when i know they are my enemy. That sounds like some really krazee living. And if they are closer than your friend, one that you might invite over for a slumber party or something, you'd have to forever sleep with one eye open.

That doesn't look anything like peace to me. I'd be krazee if i had to live like that.

In my own life, away from the community, i don't have people around me that mean me harm. I have always lived a very sheltered / protected life. These kind of people are not in my inner circle. They do not get close to me. They aren't lounging in my living room. They aren't calling me on the phone. We don't talk.

But here in the community, it's different. I don't have the same control over it, that i do in my personal life. The purpose and goal for the community, has almost required that i deal with people that do not like me. It's not new. It's been this way all the years, and i've just struggled through it ... hating it ... but doing it, because that is what was needed to get to where we are. It's been a great learning opportunity for me, to be able to overlook my personal desire and choice, for the greater collective good. I've put up with a lot here, that i would never tolerate in my own personal life.

I've thought on this often over the years, reluctant prior to now, to really speak on it. I think i'm growing stronger (it's been years now, so it's about time), and am willing to let the chips fall where they may ... should my sharing this cause a problem.

Sister Purple ... all throughout the years, i've wondered this. Every time i've had to deal with a Member that did not like me, i wondered why they were here. I have been left in awe, more times than i can count, at the number of people that do not like me, yet come here. I've even thought how great a blessing it is ... almost a 2-edged sword ... that we could have built a place so wonderful, that even people who hate me, want to come. That's some powerful stuff. It's beyond me, bigger than me, which is why it keeps me in awe. It's God ... it's gotta be.

But i can't help but think on it ... wonder about it ... as it really leaves me puzzled.

Yeah ... i guess being able to see them is good ... but i'd rather not see them at all.

Okay Sister ... i'm gonna try to ease my self over to that kind of thinking ... since you say it's not necessarily a bad thing ... plus ... throughout all the years, it's never stopped ... so ... i guess i better start liking it ...

I Love You!



Destee

 

[Destee]

Greetings Sister Destee

There is another saying also..."the eyes are the windows to the soul"...for me that's reason enough. Another.."Time will Tell" and for some that is what is needed to see a person's true nature. This I learn form you my sister. All I can and will say Sister is..I can only make recommendations, the final decision is up to you. Make your's and lets move on. But peace must prevail in this community. I don't know of any other site that will give a person a 10th of a chance to be repeat offender...our problem is we feel we have to..and that is wrong. Again Make your decision and stick to it. Next time do it sooner..or you may just have to live with it. By not doing it sooner you may be showing a person and others you are enjoying their drama.

Lilpea

Brother LilPea ... thanks for responding.

We do have peace here Brother, we always have, and always will.

It's not the same kind of peace i have in the privacy of my home. It reflects many individuals, a collective, and so the peace is different ... but it is peace nonetheless. We may struggle to maintain it sometimes, but we've always had it. I'm too protective of it, to let things get to the point, that peace has left us. It's just too fragile, and too difficult to restore, to let it ever get away. I have sacrificed my own self, not doing what i really wanted to do, in an effort to keep our collective peace. I be krazee when our peace is threatened, almost immediately going into attack mode and everything. So much so, that folk say i'm doing too much, but i don't care ... cause i have the responsibility of insuring our collective peace ... and it will be done, by any means necessary.

There is no decision that needs to be made. I'm not talking about any one situation. We have had many of these over the years, and i'm speaking about them all ... and even those that have never been brought to light ... yet are here, hating me, yet coming here. I believe i know what you might be referencing, but i'm not referencing that. There are more situations than you are probably aware of, that would qualify as enemy combatants.

I'm just in awe of it all ... amazed that God would let me see such a thing.

Where people hate you, but want to be around you.

That is amazing to me.



Destee