If on a scale of 1 to 10, 1 equals "lousy" and 10 equals "fan-freakin-tastic" then I'd put "good" somewhere around 7. I'm not one to brag, but I can think of 10 things I'm "good" at. Most of those things aren't wow-inducing, but I work with what I've got.
I'm pretty good at:
1. bargain hunting
2. cleaning the kitchen
3. guessing who'll be the next person kicked off of my favorite reality shows
4. humming
5. gift giving
6. wreath making
7. hugging
8. making conversation
and I think I'd be a good scrapbooker if I tried. There was a time when I would've given myself at least a "7" for knowing the right things to do and say AFTER a friend or relative had faced a really tough challenge. I'm not so good in the moment because lots of tears and terrified looks are my first reaction, but give me an hour or maybe a few days and I can come through for you. My friend, Karen, made fun of the pep talk I gave her when she told me about losing her job, but I know she took my words to heart. My blues-busting words of encouragement weren't just good, they were great (if I must say so)!
Lately I feel like I'm losing my comforting mojo. So many people I love are dealing with life changing loss and illness and heartbreak... and I am at a loss for words. The death of a mother, the death of a child, foreclosure, sickness, divorce. "Good," just isn't good enough when you pray for the right words to offer guidance, support or comfort but know in your heart that nothing you do or say will make it better.
I tend to sum up whole years based on a single negative situation. Just last week, I caught myself hoping that 2009 would be a heck of a lot better than 2008. Then I remembered a speech I heard at a charity auction a few years ao. The speaker talked about his "summer of suck." He'd lost a brother to Cystic Fibrosis. If I were him, I would've trashed the entire year! But what I heard from Sean, the speaker, was a message about "suck" only lasting for a season. With that message in mind, I'm going back to the drawing board. This is just a season of healing, from illness, financial losses and grief. Hopefully, I'll figure out how to deliver that message in a "good" way when the time is right.
1 comment:
I don't think anyone is ever really good at finding the right things to say to comfort someone - even when we have been thru the same thing they have. Each person responds differently to the thing or things that they are going thru. I think just being there for that person and letting them know it is the best thing to do!
And, I too think I would be really good at scrapbooking - if I could just find the time!! WOnder how I could turn my blog into a scrapbook??? I guess I will have to tell the kids years from now to break out the internet to read about their lives.... Sad!
Post a Comment