Being There and Listen

Saturday night I decided to go out for a few minutes to my favorite coffee shop primarily because they had live music. The weather was such that it rained almost all day. I did get my walk in when there was a break in the rain. I figured that there would be a pretty good crowd because of the rain. I was right since there was a lot standing room crowd. Almost everyone there I did not know at all. I did see an old friend sitting near where you pick up your drinks so after I ordered I talked to him for several minutes catching up finding out what he had been doing since the last time I saw him.

In the middle of the conversation he recently came down with a medical condition. So he let me know what it was about and that he felt freaky. I could understand especially since he is six months younger than me. Anytime something medical happens feels weird if this is the first time the condition happens. I went through that with my heart and blood clot. I take medicine for both and get ongoing checkups. In regards to the heart I went through a couple procedures. The doctor assured me that nothing additional had to happen other than taking medicine and having checkups. The blood clot I have had no other episodes since the first one though I take warfarin and get tested every three or four weeks at this time. Anytime I have to go in for a procedure like the heart I have to be taken off the warfarin for several days. So right now I trust confidently in the doctors that they know what they are talking about and I hope for no other issues to come up in the near future.

This all tells me that is important listen to those who are going through a crisis in their life whether it is medical or loss of a family member or friend. We may not always have the answers so the reason we listen. Often people all they need to do is vent or tell someone outside their circle of family and friends. The important thing is to be compassionate and sympathy without giving some kind of advice. Not an easy thing to do sometimes however they don’t need to hear about your stories unless they ask. In the end let them know that they will be in your thoughts and prayers. Like my old friend he appreciated that I would pray for him.