There comes a time when you hit a fork in the road. One path leads you to success while the other leads you down this dark and stormy road. You have to determine which path is the safe way, the best way to get you to your destination. I hit one a few months back, and instead of following the way I should have, I followed a road that led me down a path of destruction.

I have morals, rules I go by, things I believe in. One of those morals happens to be honesty. I want people to be frank with me no matter what. So when I had someone come to me and ask for help to save their marriage because they did a “stupid thing and would never do it again.” I believed them. Why shouldn’t I? that person never gave me a reason not to before. So against my other beliefs, I followed through with her plan. I did what she asked because in my mind it was for the better. I figured I could help save her marriage since I couldn’t save my parents. I didn’t realize going down that road, meant I had to keep covering and allowing her to lie. In my mind, I made it somehow justifiable.

It seemed to be an endless dark road. The lies started to become worse until they were no longer just lies. They became a part of the relationship I had with this person. If you took out the sneaking and the lies, we wouldn’t have a bond. And for some reason, I didn’t stop. I didn’t have the power to say enough is enough until months after. And when I finally did, I got the boot. I was kicked out and shunned because I finally saw what I was helping this person do wasn’t admirable. When I have kids and tell them about what I did for fun after high school, I can't say I lost my moral values after helping a family member.

So, I stopped it.

I told myself I couldn't continue down this dark path of destruction. It took me time to realize she was never going to change. She was going to continue to cheat on her husband, no matter how many times I told her to choose. She had made her choice and if her marriage failed, it was on her. I wasn’t going to have that on me as well. Of course me telling her enough was enough, resulted in me being kicked out. So everyone thought it was me in the wrong. There had to be a problem because we were so close. Little does everyone know she didn’t care about me, nor her little family. She doesn’t understand the value of money, and she believes as long as she doesn’t get caught, it’s not cheating. I didn’t want to be associated with that. So I left as quick as I could.

When I left, I found myself again. I’m back to the old me, the me I liked. I didn’t have to hide, or lie to anybody. I didn’t have the fear of ruining someone’s life. I could focus on myself, and my career. Now I have the confidence to choose the right path if I should ever reach another fork in the road.