We’ve all been in situations where we don’t know what to say. Perhaps a friend or acquaintance is undergoing trauma or grief and we feel we should do something, say something, because we want to help. We want to show that suffering person that we care. Maybe we are afraid if we say anything, it will be the wrong thing.
In the Book of Job, the story is told of the suffering of a great man. He had done nothing wrong, yet his calamity was nearly unbearable. One thing after another assailed Job as Satan did his best to cause Job to curse God. Job’s three friends heard about these tragedies and they came to be with him. For seven days, they sat quietly with him, saying nothing, just being there. The problem came when they started to speak because each had an opinion of why Job was undergoing these trials.
But, going back to those seven days of silence. I think their presence must have encouraged Job. He was not alone in his grief. Others were there to share his agony with him. They cared.
Many times, just our presence is enough to offer a spark of hope or healing to someone who is sad or ill or troubled in some way. It seems there is a healing, calming quality about being with people who care. They may not understand, they may wonder about the situation but they don’t condemn, censure, give opinions, nor judge. They are just there. And that is enough.
Here in the South, we take food to a person or a family who is undergoing illness or grief. I once thought this was odd because at such times, food is the last thing on a person’s mind. Then, I experienced some of those tragedies myself. And people brought food and I understood. That custom is just a wordless way of saying, “I care. I am thinking about you.”
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On to a different topic – writing. Nancy and I had a good visit yesterday. We shared some concerns about our upcoming books, methods of marketing, and the educational experience of publishing. One of the ways of getting our books before the public is to have a Book Launch Party. She had some neat suggestions about party favors for my cozy mysteries. I had in mind giving each guest a clue to finding one of the cozy mystery books, the prize being the book itself. What do you think? Can you put your creative minds to work, imagine a book launch for The Cemetery Club, Grave Shift, or Best Left Buried, and come up with some themes or activities? I’d appreciate your sending them by email or in the Comments section of my blog post.
Nancy’s book of devotionals, The Grace Impact, published by Cross River Media will be out in November.
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