Parasites reel you in with their sugar coated promises, only to rot your life from the outside in.
The Parasitic friend
Would you recognize an individual resembling a parasitic attachment? Parasites drain others’ vitality leaving behind hollow relationships and personal turmoil. Reeling you in with their sweet exteriors and sugar-coated promises that mask a rotten core.
The Parasite person tends to sneak into your life unnoticed. Initially, you fail to feel the attachment due to the delightful atmosphere they create. This person appears caring, lovely, and kind.
This parasitic presence gradually infiltrates your life, slowly latching onto you, often accompanied by smiles, occasional gifts, or kind gestures.
Intuition is key
Deep down, you sense a slight unease, but you push it aside, directing your self-criticism toward your own perceived unkindness. The parasite’s excessive kindness and amiable nature cause you to feel burdened with guilt.
The friendship blossoms as you discover the multitude of shared interests which forge a deeper connection.
However, as months elapse, you gradually become aware of recurring instances of questionable conduct.
Initially, you brush off these behaviors, granting the person leniency. Yet, you find yourself chastising your judgment, believing that you ought to demonstrate greater empathy and compassion.
These behaviors start occurring with increasing frequency. Something may be amiss but you’re not sure.
Perhaps items have been borrowed and not returned, or this individual often proves unreliable, leaving you waiting on numerous occasions.
They often have continual dramas unfolding in their lives leaving you feeling guilty for adding to their problems by questioning their conduct. These minor frustrations accumulate over time, gradually mounting.
The parasite sleeps soundly at night, snugly attached to you as their source of energy. They show no concern for your well-being or the fact that you are left in the dark. Their sole focus is on you fulfilling their needs.
They dictate when to pick you up or cast you aside.
Candy-coated disrespect
Take caution with this parasitic friend. They often display a sweet disposition, but they are fragile and quickly wounded when confronted about their disrespectful actions.
Remember, their behavior is not a reflection of your self-worth but rather a valuable life lesson. Deception usually arrives under the guise of sugar-coated concern, disguised with a smile and kindness.
What to do?
Some parasitic people act out unconscious behaviors. If they truly value the friendship, then they will adjust their behaviors accordingly, respecting your boundaries when confronted. Likewise, If you value friendship, then you have to find the courage to confront the behavior.
The people we meet continuously serve our growth, providing us with valuable life lessons, as each encounter becomes an opportunity for mutual benefit and learning.
Remember, you get to choose who and what you allow in your life. A true friend does not seek to devalue or disrespect you in any way. Recognize the growth lesson that is there, and then take the action required to either cut off their supply of you or to teach them that your time and energy are important too.
A true friend will take this on board and become conscious of their parasitic behavior.
You get to decide how much of your energy supply you are willing to provide.
Sweet deception
The parasite person reminds me of a candy apple with a sickly sweet sugar coating protecting the fruit within. Take a bite of that hard candy coating, and you find you’re never really bothered by the time you reach the fruit. It’s too late anyway because you’ve already been rotted from the outside in with all the sugar-coated lies.
Be to true yourself
Give me a straight, hard-talking “says it how it is” person any day. Regrettably, in today’s world, those who speak uncomfortable truths amidst sugar-coated deceptions are often despised.
Being true to yourself and standing by your core values isn’t always an easy path. We encounter many harsh lessons along the way to achieve our highest growth potential.
People with values and integrity never sugar-coat their truth; they’re honest to the core.
