how to respond? 51.1.3.4.6, and 52

[elizabeth]

I recently had dinner with a long-time friend and we agreed to meet again this past Sunday. He cancelled because he was sick, and subsequently sent an email admitting to really enjoying my company the first time, and complimenting me in a more-than-friendship type of way. I am overjoyed as I feel the same way, BUT I do not want to overstep boundaries. The two of us have been doing a strange song and dance for some time... the main issue being he seems to want me to take the lead, and I want him to.

So he admitted to some degree of "more than friendship" in this message. And bc i do not want to step into the role of "leader" I am VERY confused about how to reply and what to say, or how much to admit to. (Being a girl i can already imagine moving in with him and choosing new curtains but i nkow saying that would likely scare him away!)

It's a question of balance and I dont have the answer as i'm very very very bad at all this "flirting game" stuff.

I asked the Yi how to reply to this email, hoping it would give me some clue of how much to admit to. It told me 51.1,3,4, 6 and then 52.

Since 52 is stillness i'm not sure what that means, and all of these lines seem to be pointing out conflicting things. As I see it, the interpretations are:

line 1: Fear teaches us a lesson from which we can learn to our advantage. (I am afriad about misstepping so i'm not sure how to act, and i feel caught - frozen sort of).
Line 3: "there are times when it is wise to act upon the spur of the moment. This is one of those times. Even though the act of impetuosity may bring little advantage, it will certainly do no harm. (this contradicts the first line which points out my sense of immobility...it says act altho it wont change things. But what to do? Act how?)
Line4: Shock has produced dazed confusion. Wait for conditions to improve. (this says wait)
Line 6: Shock brings ruin and terrified gazing around. Going ahead brings misfortune. If is has not yet touched one's own body But has reached one's neighbor first, There is no blame.One's comrades have something to talk about. = To attempt any action at this time would be foolish. (action would be foolish; wait).

OK so i have -- act, wait, and wait.

Then hex 52 which says wait.

But I have to reply... I"m really not sure what to do here.

 

[jesed]

When the question is "how to...", I tend to focus on the Image in the principal hexagram. Best wishes

 

[elizabeth]

Thank you Jesed! That's helpful. That would be 51. The Judgement is "Shock brings success. Shock comes--oh, oh! Laughing words--ha, ha! The shock terrifies for a hundred miles, And he does not let fall the sacrificial spoon and chalice."

But the image is: Thunder repeated: the image of Shock. Thus in fear and trembling The superior man sets his life in order And examines himself.

Presuming I should be the superior man, set myself in order and examine myself... and think about the response (which I'm doing). I know I have to be careful... But this is still so vague...

I found some other past posts in which 51.1 alluded to general shock/thunder, things will be shaken up but positive result will come. And line 3 intimates "we should go along with the loudness of the shock rather than revert to a normal calm state..." (from Sofia here: http://www.onlineclarity.co.uk/friends/showthread.php?t=8119)

So that implies: don't act calm and collected, which to me implies share my own feelings (dont hide them). But to what degree is not clear...