In certain circumstances, the absence of words can be more meaningful than speaking. I have led myself toward quick fixes and platitudes. If I feel stuck, I tell myself, “Count your blessings.”
There are times when counting the blessings just doesn’t work. Not yet. Just because I can see the blessings, doesn’t mean I’m in a place to appreciate the view. I need time to grieve, to think about what I could have done differently. I need to know I’m stuck, so I can decide it’s time to stop reveling in the pain.
It is right and good to count my blessings. I know this in times of plenty and want. It’s just that I need to get there on my own. I have also come to realize that many people would value a friend who can simply sit quietly at their side, listening and waiting in equal measure.
This message is excerpted from “Moving Beyond Platitudes” by Karris A. Golden in the September 2018 Gather magazine. Today we commemorate Agnes, martyr, c. 304.
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