I didn’t mean to do it. I didn’t mean to say it. But she needed some comfort and assurance. I hugged her tight and the words slipped out of my mouth because I didn’t know what to say.
“It will be okay,” I said and wished I could recall the words immediately. I panicked when I didn’t know how to give her comfort so the words tumbled out. The thing is, I didn’t know at the moment that it would be okay. In fact, things looked pretty bleak.
As I walked out of the house I mentally kicked myself in the pants. Why did I say that? I hate that generic comfort. What authority did I have to say it was going to be okay? None.
I replayed the moment in my head and thought of what I should have said. What I should have said was, “You will be okay. Despite the outcome of it, you will heal. You will be okay. Eventually.” That may not sound very comforting but to me a small amount of reality is more assuring than a platitude that may ring true.
Let me ask you, someone gets hit with a one-two punch from life. What comfort do you offer?
ck's days 