As a kid, mum’s big healer for any hurt was to kiss it and make it better. As we travel along life’s pathways, we will inevitably suffer some hurts that require more than a kiss, a smile and a pat on the head. There is the physical kind, that can usually be repaired with anything from a band-aid to major surgery. But the worst kind of hurt is that which pierces your heart.
This type of hurt is a deep ache, that at times can even question the value of life itself. It doesn’t go away easily and can leave scars that last for years.
In being a friend to someone with a hurt that is deeply entrenched, we need to have patience, available time, understanding and most of all, we need to be a good listener. We don’t necessarily need to have all the answers. Often, just working through the problem will allow the hurting one to resolve the situation themselves.
Giving our friends support and the opportunity to share with us their burden, will enable them to commence the healing process. Let’s be there for our friends when they need us.
I’m Peter Mack and that’s life.