Naoko, in order for your idea to work, I can’t use a room. I’d have to use a secluded island somewhere. Hopefully, it wouldn’t end like Lord of the Flies.

Hey, Phil, ’tis my training. Dear God, I hope my future ain’t a clinic. I mean, that shouldn’t be the case.

Interestingly enough, I was ranting and raving at Kib once and at some point, I just ended up saying: “Well, maybe this is all to prepare me for my own production company.”

Kib commented: “Well, those are mature adults, right?”

“Kib, they’re animators. And half the adults, myself included, are teenagers in some respect anyway.”

“Touche!”

Thanks for the idea, I’m praying about it first. The hearts must be ready then true reconciliation can begin.

I can see it now…maybe he’s trying to train to be a relationship counsellor, the expert in patching up relationships among people! Yeah…I can see the future now… dear ‘ol Sam opening his little clinic at a corner of Burmah Road.

Seriously, I had my fair share of such cases when I was a teacher myself, and I always listen to both sides of the story first and then let them think of what they think they should do and I give them a few options for them to choose. If they insist on not liking the other person, I would constantly ask them why, why and why because usually, they don’t have a reason to hate the person because they just don’t want to like the person.

Use your head, bro. You can be firm, but do it with love. ‘Cos I certainly don’t see you doing it with love. Remind them of the proper behaviour when a sermon is going on…ask them if it’s a mature thing for them to do, whether its respectful. Tell them to put themselves in the shoes of the speaker - how would you feel when you’re speaking on a stage and nobody listens to you because they’re busy with their own conversations? Reverse psychology, bro, throw it at them.

I think you should throw a “patch-things-up” party. Get each person to contribute by bringing something to share. And if they don’t want to mingle with one another, here’s a simple idea - group games! Break them up into small groups, with an equal mix from both sides and get them to work together yada, yada, yada… you know the drill.

Once the games over, get everyone together to sit in one big circle and get them to write nice, honest things about the person next to them and pass it around for each person to write nice things about that person. And if they don’t like that person, get them to write it out as well, of course, you should tell them to write out about a person’s weakness and how he/she thinks he/she can improve.

When everyone gets their own notes back, tell them to read and study it quietly by themselves and ask them to pray silently by themselves. Once that’s done, you can ask for feedback and teach them something from the Bible - teach them about tolerance, brotherly love and all that…

At the end of the party, get everyone to shake hands or hug each other. Then, you can bring on the food and share them…make them sit around together as a group instead of factions… let them have the opportunity to talk with one another and all that.

Well, this is all I could think of… I’m sure you’ll come up with better ways to get a truce and all that.

Call me if you need to talk!

How about throwing both the parties into a locked room, praying, and NOT letting them out till they settle this?

And do the same to the friends… Though not in the same room as the two antagonists, then you may need to call in an ambulance. ^^;