Don't burn bridges! That's the message for this week. An older person once gave me some very wise advise. They said, "Try your best to be on good terms with all people, because you never know when you will need them." More on this after the top 20.

Leaping to #1 is Hard by Rihanna, the Bajan bombshell. On the way up at #2 it's Bedrock by Young Money featuring Lloyd. Tumbling to #3 is Why Don't You Love Me? by Beyonce. Falling to #4 is Snoop Dogg's I Wanna Rock.

Now some dance music. Up to #5 is Sexy Chick by David Guetta featuring Akon, a monster house jam that is also catchy. This one has been used in adverts, ringtones, etc. and was all over the place a few months back. It's making the rounds here as well. Climbing to #6 is Tik Tok by Ke$ha. This bouncy, catchy, clubby pop tune is all in frequent circulation as well, also being featured in J-Lo's current movie, the name of which escapes me.

Slipping to #7 is How Low by Ludacris. Ludacris just quietly drops hit after rocking hit. Cool guy; he doesn't seem to have his name in lights for the wrong reasons either. Smart man.

Improving to #8 is On To The Next One by Jay Z and Swizz Beats. Rude Boy, by Rihanna, advances to #9. Improving to #10 is Everything To Me by Monica, a former essential new tune. Up to #11 is Say Something by Timbaland featuring Drake, last week's essential new jam. Down to #12 is Say Aah by Trey Songz featuring Fabolous.

Improving to #13 is Hey Daddy, (Daddy's Home) by Usher featuring Plies. Falling to #14 is It Kills Me by Melanie Fiona, one of the hot ballads currently on the circuit. Falling to #15 is Try Sleeping With A Broken Heart by the lovely Alicia Keys.

Up at #16 is Neighbors Know My Name by Trey Songz. Slipping to #17 is Sex Therapy by Robin Thicke. Down to #18 is She Wolf by Shakira. Falling to #19 is I Invented Sex by Trey Songs featuring Drake.

Now this week's essential new tune. In at #20 is My Chick Bad by Ludacris featuring Nicki Minaj. Check it out.

Now back to this week's word – burning bridges. A mate of mine rang me up this week in need of a favour. I was only too happy to assist. However, the reason he needed my help was because he had burned a bridge years ago with someone who is now in a key role (in charge) in a department from which my boy needed some assistance, information and action.

The conversation went like this: "No I can't call Person X because I burned that bridge a long time ago when we both worked at Company Y back in the day and Person X doesn't like me and will not help me."

You can't always avoid disagreements with persons but to the extent that you can you should make every effort to have them be respectful disagreements and simply differences of opinion, which should always be based on fact, not emotion.

Emotion sometimes gets in the way of logical thinking. Egos do the same. If we can get past our emotions and egos, at least some of the time, we will be shocked at the amazing and wonderful discoveries that may materialise.

Another pearl of wisdom came from a good buddy and former colleague of mine who is just a touch older than me, Mike Swan. Some of you may know him as an artist, from XL, BDOT or as Charles F. Batson Swan's bye. But this one has stayed with me since the 1990s when he shared it with me. It goes like this, "Always remember that the toes you step on today may belong to the ass that you have to kiss tomorrow." That is truly excellent and sums up my other boy's plight this week.

Another pearl of wisdom from many sources goes, "Don't step on, mistreat or forget the people you pass as you go up the ladder; because you will pass those same persons as you go down."

The moral of the story is clear; don't burn any bridges. But people do it every day, thinking only of the moment but not for a second considering that in a small place like Bermuda you will see this person again.

Given the current state of the labour market, none of us can afford to burn any bridges. I've had people approach me recently looking for jobs who were less than nice to me in the past. Thankfully the love, mercy and grace of God allows me to forgive that sin and still give them my fullest attention and best effort to help them find employment. I do it simply because it is the right, emotionally and spiritually mature thing to do. Also, unlike some people, I understand that I'm not perfect either and I too sin daily and need forgiveness.

But, because most human beings are not so forgiving and do hold grudges, we must not burn bridges. Peace ... DJLT.