“Too often we underestimate the power of a
touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an
honest compliment, or the smallest act of
caring, all of which have the potential to turn
a life around.” -- Leo Buscaglia
“A friend hears the song in my heart and sings
it to me when my memory fails.” -- Anonymous
“Friends are those rare people who ask how we
are and then wait to hear the answer.” -- Ed
Cunningham
“The language of friendship is not words but
meanings.” -- Henry David Thoreau
“I felt it shelter to speak to you.” -- Emily
Dickinson |
|
What I want in my life is compassion, a
flow between myself and others based on a
mutual giving from the heart.” -- Marshall B.
Rosenberg
How do we support others who are suffering?
Not wanting to see others in pain, we usually
try to do whatever we can to take their pain
away. Unfortunately, this rarely helps in the
way we intended. In reality, we can’t take
away their suffering. What we can do is be
fully present with them to acknowledge and
share in their pain. With compassion, we can
keep them company.
It also helps others when we can be present to
our own experience and genuine in our
feelings. Living our own truth helps create
the space for the other person to live theirs.
“The first duty of love is to listen.” --
Paul Tillich
“With the gift of listening comes the gift of
healing.” -- Catherine de Hueck Doherty
|
