[dropcap2 variation=”coffee”]I[/dropcap2] was making my morning coffee when I got the call.
“He’s asking to see you,” Douglas’ daughter said. “He thinks today is the day.”
When I walked into Douglas’ room in the nursing home, he was waiting for me. As I sat down beside his bed, he sighed and hung his head.
“Right now the people I know come in two varieties. First, there’s the kind that don’t show up because they’re uncomfortable. Second, there’s the kind that come and tell me everything they think I ought to know,” Douglas said.
He raised his eyes to mine. “I just wanted a buddy to die with.”
We need each other – especially when we’re hurting. We don’t want pat answers or even good advice. We need someone to show up and be with us in our pain. There is power in knowing we’re not alone.
And what’s one of the best things to do when we’re hurting? Be there for someone else. Answer the call. Serve.
Imagine the impact if we all reached out, even a little, when we were hurting.
This is part of living with new courage. Say it with me: Someone needs a buddy today. I’ll show up and serve. Who knows what might happen?
Many of us are hurting this season because we’re missing someone. Holidays, birthdays, and anniversaries can be hard. Check out Surviving the Holidays Without You. It’s full of comforting and practical content.
