Monday night we had dinner with friends.
Actually, we delivered dinner to friends. A husband and wife and house full of children who are currently in over their heads in a crisis. Because the wife and mama is beatin’ down breast cancer.
So we made vegetable beef stew. And chocolate chip cookies. Because, DUH. Chocolate chip cookies. And then we drove to their house to hang out. Sometimes a family just needs to hang with people who get it.
I know this only too well. My hubs and kids, too. How many friends delivered meals over the past 18 months? I lost count. But I haven’t forgotten the feeling of being cared for, loved, carried.
That’s why we delivered soup. However, in spite of my wealth of experience, I felt nervous. What should we say, or NOT say? And what if we say the wrong thing? And how long (or short) should we stay?
These are normal questions, for all of us. When we know someone in crisis, someone we love, we reach out with great intentions. We want nothing more than to be able to tangibly help those who suffer.
Trouble is we don’t always know how.
In today’s video, I talk about the do and don’ts of walking with someone in a crisis. I even give you the very first question to get the whole conversation started. I don’t have it all figured out, by any means. But this is a good first step.
And yes. I used each of these Monday night. Not perfectly. But sometimes it’s better to show up and do it wrong than not show up at all.
[callout]This is a short selection of an in-depth conversation Michele shared with a circle of close friends March 7, 2015. For background on the series, you can read about it here. If you’d like to watch the interview in its entirety (it’s just over 55 minutes), please click here for instant access.[/callout]
What has helped YOU when you’ve been in the middle of a crisis?
In my personal experience, when someone asks “How can I be there for you?” or says “I am here for you,” it means more to me than anything else that they could do or say!