Saying Something Is Usually Better Than Saying Nothing

Ditch the common roadblocks and reach out...

I know I’m not a bad person.

I’m usually caring and empathetic. But there are times when I’ve failed to reach out to someone I know who has experienced a loss, has been diagnosed with a terminal or chronic illness, or is enduring any one of the many awful blows life can inflict.

What are the main roadblocks to our taking action in these situations?

• We’re afraid of saying the wrong thing.

• We worry we’ll do the wrong thing.

• We think we don’t have time to make a difference.

In their wonderful book There is No Good Card For This, Kelsey Crowe and Emily McDowell tell the poignant story of Kelsey’s young daughter who matter-of-factly listed for her therapist mother what to say to help someone in need:

I’m sorry.

Do you want to play with me?

Do you want to take a little break?

Do you want a little hug?

Wow…

A variation of any one of these could apply to most situations I can think of.

Crowe and McDowell also make the following statement with which I agree wholeheartedly:

“If you take one thing away from this book, it should be this: If you’re choosing between saying something and saying nothing, you’re almost always better off saying something.”

Kelsey Crowe, PhD and Emily McDowell

In her book Everything Happens for a Reasons (and other Lies I’ve Loved), Kate Bowler spoke this hard truth:

“We are all just a breath away from a problem that could destroy something irreplaceable or alter our lives completely.” 

Kate Bowler

Who needs to hear from you today…to know they’re not alone?