It's not about me

When someone we care about hurts, maybe we make tea, something hot to drink. Maybe we talk on the phone, or sit in the chair opposite in the therapy office. The urge is to do something. Sometimes there is nothing to be done, except, perhaps, sit in encouragement.

It’s not about me.

I sit in encouragement.

It’s all I can do.

Encouragement

Funny. Encouragement is all over the place.

Encouragement comes

From unsuspected places.

We need be open.

This is what I do now

This becomes less difficult as time goes on. As I remind my clients, I remind myself:  such change takes time and practice.

I remind myself

This is what I do now:

Pray around the edges

(Not in front)

This is what I do now:

Sit in the middle of things

(Without directing)

This is what I do now:

Stand on the edges

(Without resentment)

Encourage from the spaces

In between.

This is what I do now:

Watch

Listen

Speak occasionally

If necessary.

Discouragement/Encouragement/Pretty Good

Sometimes it helps to listen to the conversation between the disagreeing factions, figure out they both have good points.  Turns out both Discouragement and Encouragement grew up in Minnesota... cousins who lived next door... in fact.  Pretty good.

This morning

Discouragement

And her cousin

Encouragement

Sit across from one another

At the dining table.

They trade quips.

Both women are eloquent

In their own way.

The table is covered

With a patchwork quilt.

Lilies purchased last week

For the French student*s arrival

Have fully opened,

The dining room perfumed.

Two new clematis:

Nelly Moser,

Comtesse de Bouchard,

Potted on the front porch,

Wait to be planted.

Meanwhile

In the dining room

Discouragement

Encouragement

Argue.

They gesture,

Each with coffee

In her hand.

I listen.

I believe they both

Make good points.

I see how they are related

At the root,

Not just from opposite shores

Of the  gene pool.

Now I hear they share

A particular accent,

Turn of phrase.

Finally they agree

That things

Are really

Pretty good.