Tuesday, September 29, 2015

The Kindness of Words of Wisdom

"When I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me, speaking words of wisdom, let it be."
~ John Lennon and Paul McCartney

"Times of trouble" can be relative.  What once seemed overwhelming can be dwarfed by real trouble -- the loss of someone we love, illness, a major setback.  Whatever the trouble, words of wisdom are not only welcomed, but also necessary.  And the people who share them do us a great kindness.

In the midst of recent overwhelm, I was blessed to receive two emails from friends who put my "trouble" -- more inconvenience than anything else -- into perspective with their own stories and words of wisdom.  One friend wrote about the unexpected passing of her husband, which broke my heart and immediately straightened out my thinking.  Another friend shared his newfound motto, "Always forward, never back."  When I called my newly widowed friend, she courageously said, "This too shall pass."  And in between tears, we were able to laugh and remember life in its earlier, simpler stages.

No comments:

Post a Comment