Many years ago I learned in a class about grief that an important step in the grieving process is to tell the story. That each time a grieving person explains what happened, as in sharing the events of a tragedy, a piece of the pain heals, even if only a small piece. I saw it firsthand with my own mother when my father died. She told me the story of that day over and over. And even though for me it was excruciating to listen to the details, I realized it helped her.
So when someone tells me their story, I try to remember that by listening I am being an instrument in a necessary process. With that said, however, it is sometimes hard to hear the same story over and over for years and years, knowing the person is basically stuck, unable to hear ways to move past their pain.
Today I am thankful to have learned how to be patient and tolerant (much of the time), understanding that, as I mentioned in Day #220, sometimes it is important to just be there, not fix things. Just like this picture reminds me!
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