The Disconnect

It is hard to console someone who is grieving. We want to say we feel bad for them. But … often we are clumsy in expressing ourselves. ----more---- Everyone experiences grief differently and what may comfort one person may simply annoy another. But this disconnect between the intent of our message and how it is received is at it’s worst when one person is religious and the other isn’t. I was reminded of this the other day when a religious friend of mine lost her father. I wanted to tell her know how badly I felt for her. But she kept saying things that to my ears seemed delusional. Obviously, I had the good sense to keep my thoughts to myself. But it did make it hard to figure out what to say to her to let her know she was in my thoughts. I eventually just said the one thing that was true. I am sorry for your loss. Sometimes nothing else needs to be said.