Yesterday I heard three batches of seriously bad news from friends. I heard of babies dying, extended hospital stays and unexpected funerals. Not to mention tears, so many tears.
And this morning I woke up and just wanted to yell STOP. Like a conductor, trying to direct a symphony in which all the instruments are off-key and going all over the place, I want to raise my arms slowly and suddenly bring them down hard together telling the world to STOP. TO BE QUIET!
...The news ticker billboard on 94 at 11th street to stop telling us what’s going on.
...The dude next to me at the gas pump to stop watching the number of gallons he’s putting into his SUV.
...The deejays on the morning radio shows to stop laughing.
...And traffic, well, maybe if it could just slow down to a crawl.
In doing this, I feel like we could somehow validate, recognize, honor the pain. The fact that the world just keeps on going feels so heartless and rude. And actually it is. The world as a whole doesn’t really care. And what good would it do anyways, if the guy at the gas pump stops? Will it make my friends’ pain any less acute?
It just made me realize how important authentic relationships are. That we all need to be and have friends who do stop. If even for an hour, a day or a month. And no, this doesn’t take the pain away, but I know it feels good to have a hand to hold. The hand of someone who has stopped.
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