That Is A Thing I Would Be Happy To Do
I had a woman stop in my office recently. She stopped in front of my desk and said, "I just want you to know that it's official. Life really sucks." I was a little shocked (heh, not because I've never used/heard the word sucks before) but that she would say this. She's a woman of solid faith who, I believe, really does trust God in the good and hard times.
But yesterday, for her, really sucked. A friend (and father of two little ones - 3 and 4 year olds) died tragically the night before. She just got word that her husband and sons might have a pretty serious genetic dificulty (that could, ultimately, be lethal). I think she's already cried her way though this - she didn't break down or anything here (though that day might come) - and she's trying to process it all.
What could I do? I mean, really... I remember a story, though, and I've done my best to kind of live this.
As quoted from somewhere else:
Author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia once talked about a contest he was asked to judge. The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring child. The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there. When his mother asked him what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said, "Nothing, I just helped him cry."
What could I do but "help her cry?" Really, nothing.
Last week on Grey's Anatomy (a show I hate but my wife likes so we watch it) the father of one of the main characters is dying, and he (O'Malley) has a brief conversation with a surgeon who is recovering from surgery (Burke) that goes like this:
Burke: O’Malley there’s no blame here. Your father’s body is diseased and has undergone tremendous trauma and now his organs are shutting down.
There’s no blame here
O’Malley: Do people come back from this? His BUN and CREATs numbers are high, I get that. I was just wondering, in your experience, can people come back from this?
Burke: I don’t have any statistics. I...don’t have any more medicine for you. Now it’s about faith.
O’Malley: What about science?
Burke: In my experience, science is not enough, O’Malley. If you want me to...hope with you. If would like me to...send up a prayer. That is a thing I would be happy to do.
That is a thing I would be happy to do. Really, what else can we do.
What do people without any faith do when tragedy strikes? I want to know, really I do, because I can't imagine it - it's as alien to me as being able to breathe underwater...
That is a thing I would be happy to do. So I guess I can pray. What else can I do? But...that's a lot...
But yesterday, for her, really sucked. A friend (and father of two little ones - 3 and 4 year olds) died tragically the night before. She just got word that her husband and sons might have a pretty serious genetic dificulty (that could, ultimately, be lethal). I think she's already cried her way though this - she didn't break down or anything here (though that day might come) - and she's trying to process it all.
What could I do? I mean, really... I remember a story, though, and I've done my best to kind of live this.
As quoted from somewhere else:
Author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia once talked about a contest he was asked to judge. The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring child. The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there. When his mother asked him what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said, "Nothing, I just helped him cry."
What could I do but "help her cry?" Really, nothing.
Last week on Grey's Anatomy (a show I hate but my wife likes so we watch it) the father of one of the main characters is dying, and he (O'Malley) has a brief conversation with a surgeon who is recovering from surgery (Burke) that goes like this:
Burke: O’Malley there’s no blame here. Your father’s body is diseased and has undergone tremendous trauma and now his organs are shutting down.There’s no blame here
O’Malley: Do people come back from this? His BUN and CREATs numbers are high, I get that. I was just wondering, in your experience, can people come back from this?
Burke: I don’t have any statistics. I...don’t have any more medicine for you. Now it’s about faith.
O’Malley: What about science?
Burke: In my experience, science is not enough, O’Malley. If you want me to...hope with you. If would like me to...send up a prayer. That is a thing I would be happy to do.
That is a thing I would be happy to do. Really, what else can we do.
What do people without any faith do when tragedy strikes? I want to know, really I do, because I can't imagine it - it's as alien to me as being able to breathe underwater...
That is a thing I would be happy to do. So I guess I can pray. What else can I do? But...that's a lot...
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