Every now and then the things I lean on lose their meaning
and I find myself careening in places where I should not let me go.
She has the power to go where no one else can find me and to silently remind me
of the happiness and the good times that I know
—-James Taylor/ Something in the Way She Moves
Some people have the gift.
Of talking people down
Saying the right thing
Being a presence of calm
Knowing when to be there
Knowing when to just listen and when to give advice
Coming by with food
Coming by with rakes and pruning shears
Just telling you what they are going to do when you are too stubborn or embarrassed to ask for help
Not being too nice to you when they can see you are on the edge of breaking down and a hug might send you right over that edge
Pretending not to notice that you’re falling apart until you have it together enough to talk about it
Knowing when matter-of-fact is the way to go
I take it back–those people don’t have a gift–they are the gift.