The gift of consolation.

My sweet dear friend sent me an excerpt on consolation not too long ago and I liked it so I wanted to share it on this blog.

*****Thank you, Alice, for always being a means of inspiration, encouragement, and consolation for others. You are an angel without wings and I love you very much.******

This excerpt is taken from "Bread for the Journey" by Henri J.M. Nouwen:
Giving and Receiving Consolation

Consolation is a beautiful word. It means "to be" (con-) "with the lonely one" (solus). To offer consolation is one of the most important ways to care. Life is so full of pain, sadness, and loneliness that we often wonder what we can do to alleviate the immense suffering we see. We can and must offer consolation. We can and must console the mother who lost her child, the young person with AIDS, the family whose house burned down, the soldier who was wounded, the teenager who contemplates suicide, the old man who wonders why he should stay alive.

To console does not mean to take away the pain but rather to be there and say, "You are not alone, I am with you. Together we can carry the burden. Don't be afraid. I am here." That is consolation. We all need to give it as well as to receive it.

Is there someone you can console today? Look around you. Who needs to know they are not alone? Take the time to listen to someone today. Give someone the gift of your patience and your listening ear. It just might mean the world to them.

Bless and be blessed.

You are loved.

Okay, and now I am going to let you jam out to some old school DC Talk. Shut the door and crank it up, grab a pen and pretend it is a microphone when no one is looking. Come on. You know you want to. Go ahead. Get it out of your system. ;o) hahaha. . . just kidding. Okay . . . For real, though (just for kicks and giggles) DC Talk-- "WE BE FUNKAY!" . . .