The Two Pots
There were an earthen pot and a bronze pot drifting side by side in the turbulent waters of a river. The hard bronze pot said to the earthen pot "Stay close to me so I can protect you from crashing against the rocks in the river." The fragile earthen pot replied cautiously "Your words are friendly, but whether I hit you or you hit me, I am the one who gets broken; it is best to stay away." Knowing its own fragility, the earthen pot stayed away from its hard neighbor and continued floating in the river without being shattered.
Overly close relationships built with hard, powerful, and dominant people, no matter how well-intentioned they seem, harm the sensitive and weak party. In friendships where power imbalance exists, even a small contact can break the weak one. Knowing one's own sensitivity and maintaining distance from hard and dangerous forces is safety. Distance is sometimes the strongest shield protecting friendship and life.
Getting overly close to powerful and hard ones breaks the weak. Excessive closeness with the strong harms the weak. The fragile one should maintain distance. Even well-intentioned contact can break the weak.
Knowing one's own fragility is safety. Friendship with imbalanced power is dangerous. Distance is the strongest shield.