Life vest

I have a few friends right now who are going through gut-wrenching, heart-aching, life-altering changes in their lives. And I wish there was something I could do other than trying to be there for them. And I wish there was something I could say other than "I'm sorry you're going through this." And I wish there was some way I could throw them a life vest, for them to hold on to, for them to cling to, for them to know that when all else fails, they can float along until they finally reach the shore.

But there is no life vest and there is no good answer. There is no way to make it better and there is no way to take the sadness away. Assuring them that the pain will not always be so acute is not just imperfect but it also falls flat; because right now the pain is there, almost too much to bear.

So in my own way, I'm going to try to throw them the life vest of my thoughts and my prayers. To let them know that they are not alone, despite feeling helpless and lost. To assure them that they are supported, even when there is no one around. To try to convey that despite how messy and ugly and sad and despondent they may get and things might be, there is a life vest made of love from those who care and think about them always.

Lesson learned.
-a