Parable on Friendship

This is from season two of The West Wing, told by Leo to Josh when Josh is experiencing PTSD a few weeks after being shot.

A man is walking along and he falls into a hole.

He sees a doctor walk by and shouts up, "Hey, doctor, I've fallen in this hole. Can you help me out?" The doctor writes out a prescription, throws it down in the hole, and keeps walking.

The man sees a priest walk by and shouts up, "Hey, Father, I've fallen in this hole. Can you help me out?" The priest writes out a prayer, throws it down in the hole, and keeps walking.

The man sees a friend walk by and shouts up, "Hey, Joe, I've fallen in this hole. Can you help me out?" Joe immediately jumps down into the hole with him. The man says," What are you doing, now we're both down in this hole." And Joe replies, "Yeah, but I've been here before. I know the way out."

Tags: The West Wing, PTSD, Friends