HopeK429

It’s a beautiful thing when we learn to sit with our friends. To sit with them in the muck and the murk and the funk. To sit with them through the trials and the struggles and the hurt. Not to save them (because we aren’t Jesus. We can’t save anyone. Life is going to happen and we can’t be the shield that stops all pain.) Not to be their therapist (because 99% of us aren’t qualified.) Not to receive anything in return (because they probably aren’t in a place where they have much to give.) Not to tell them what to do or where to go or how to feel, but to meet them where they are. To be their safe space and a source of comfort. To ensure that even when the skies get dark, they aren’t sitting there getting pounding by the storm alone. To love them. To walk in when the rest of the world walks out. To hold their hand and offer a shoulder and an encouraging word, and when they ask for it, sound advice. And mostly, to remind them who they are and why they’re here when they’ve forgotten. To believe in them and goodness and hope when they can’t feel the warmth of the sun. So if you want to be there for your friends, don’t worry about finding the right words. There may not be any. Just show up. Authentically. Compassionately. With open arms and an open heart. And sit. It may not seem like much. It may not immediately (or ever) change their mood, or their circumstances, but trust me, it’s enough. Love,
Hope