Some advice

I've got this friend of mine that from time to time comes to me for a word of understanding and some advice. We've never met and I only know of him what he states in romantic riddles and poetic incursions on his love life. Consequently, what I say to him has more to do with my own mood and experience than with what he is actually going through (I hope that is not the current practice of our psychologists).

When I realize this is happening, I end up adding that he is the only one who possesses all the data and therefore he himself ought to do the foresights and plan the decisions. I do know he is only looking for some comfort. But I've also come to think that even among the closest friends, advice should be taken very cautiously. I'm not skeptical about my friends capabilities of providing me with a wise and just guidance. It's only that subjectivity plays perverse tricks on us sometimes. If my friends only knew how my life actually was...