The path of life

I talked to two friends yesterday.
Both had been quiet on the TL for months.
We kept talking in DMs.
I could feel they weren't okay.
The market took a heavy hit on both.
They lost almost everything in memecoins.
I watched them make multiple six figures.
Then I watched them lose it all.
I saw their portfolios reflect their emotions.
It was a 1:1 match.
I told them this wasn't healthy.
I told them to de-risk.
They didn't listen.
Eventually, one friend reached out.
He is a proud man.
He had to swallow that pride to ask for help.
He needed rent money.
He promised to pay me back in a week.
I sent him his month's rent.
I asked no more questions.
Two weeks passed.
I checked in.
He apologised, said he was down bad in life.
Then he did something 99% of people don’t do.
He sent the money back.
He even added 10% interest I never asked for.
Experience told me to expect ghosting.
I was pleasantly surprised.
The moral is two-fold:
1- Good people hit shitty situations but keep their ethics. It is a privilege to help them. Especially if they are your friends.
2- Some people are in shitty situations because of their character. It is an invaluable lesson to help them too. You won't get your money back. But life will teach you exactly who they are.
You win by knowing who to keep in your circle.
Character is revealed in the trenches.