All of us, at certain moments of our lives, need to take advice

The words of Alexis Carrel, “All of us, at certain moments of our lives, need to take advice and to receive help from other people,” remind us of the eternal truth that no man is an island. Even the strongest warrior, even the wisest sage, stands at times upon trembling ground and must lean upon another. To seek advice is not weakness but wisdom, for the eye cannot see its own blind spots, and the heart cannot always bear its burdens alone.

The ancients spoke of this in their parables and epics. Even mighty Achilles needed the counsel of Odysseus; even King Solomon, famed for his wisdom, was strengthened by the voices of elders. To receive help is not to surrender one’s honor, but to recognize the shared bond of humanity. For we are threads in a single tapestry: one frays, and the others must weave together to restore its strength.

History gives us noble witness. Consider the tale of Abraham Lincoln, who bore the heavy weight of civil war upon his shoulders. Though gifted with great resolve, he sought the counsel of his so-called “Team of Rivals,” men who often opposed him, yet whose advice sharpened his judgment and fortified his decisions. By receiving their help, he preserved not only the Union but his own endurance, proving that even in the highest office, a man is lifted by the strength of others.

Carrel’s words tear down the illusion of self-sufficiency. To imagine one can live without the help of others is to build a house upon sand. Storms will come—loss, failure, doubt—and in those moments, the hand of another is not a shameful crutch but a lifeline. The truly wise are those who know when to ask, when to listen, and when to humbly accept.

Let this teaching be passed down: do not wait for the hour of despair before you learn the grace of receiving. Seek counsel as the farmer seeks rain, and accept aid as the traveler accepts shelter. For in this sharing of strength, both giver and receiver are ennobled. And thus, as Carrel declares, at certain moments, all of us must bend—not to be broken, but to be restored.