'$12000 over the last three years that I have never seen again': 28-year-old man refuses to continue paying his 24-year-old brother's rent, leading to his brother being evicted and moving in with their parents

How many times can you try to save someone in trouble before you have to take a step back and let them save themselves? Well, lets try looking at two situations that hold both intertwined and differentiating ideas. 

Take a lifeguard for example. Their job: rescue someone who is trapped in/under a body of water. Now let's put a little spin on it, what happens if the exact same irresponsible swimmer keeps requiring saving? Time and time again, he goes back to the area with the strong current, and like clockwork, the lifeguard is forced to run across the beach to save him in time, even after he continuously warning him about the specific areas to avoid. The fact of the matter is, no matter how frustrating the lifeguard may find the swimmer, that is his job - so regardless of how many times the man ignores his orders, there he goes…called to the rescue like a scene straight out of Baywatch.

Now Picture this story: You keep lending your younger brother money, he always seems to be running low and unable to make his rent. But after a few years of this back and fourth inconvenience, even if you can afford to, this time you decide to put your foot down, every though it means he will be evicted and forced to live with your parents. 

Unlike the lifeguard, who feels an equal sense of frustration, it is not your job to support your brother… and sometimes the only way to get someone out of trouble is to stop providing them with all the solutions in their lap.