When we hear that someone we know is in a hard, hard place it is often a struggle to know what to do or say... The thing to remember is to do something.
We err on the side of doing nothing when we know we cannot fix it. We tend to say nothing when we don't know what to say. Mother Rabbit thinks it is important to learn to push through this fog of indecision and extend yourself with a touch of kindness in some way. The simpler, the better. Think "touch" rather than talk. Think "touch" rather than fix. People don't really need or want words when they are really hurting... Just a hug or a note... Or smile or flower or meal or act of kindness...
When I was going through my divorce, it was such a painful place that I can remember thinking that if someone set a bag of groceries on my porch that contained a package of hot dogs & chips it would have felt like a gourmet meal --- just to not have to think about what we were going to eat for supper. Or was it special because it meant that someone knew that things were hard for me right then?
This week I heard about a friend who had to bury her first born son. The news made me feel paralyzed and helpless and cold. I knew that I couldn't ease her pain or change what happened. But I could pray for her... and I could tell her that in a simple card.
Let's err on the side of doing too much when we are not sure what to do... instead of nothing.
No comments:
Post a Comment