It has been a while since I have blogged, intentionally so. The recent termination of my job did put my family in a bit of a tailspin. I would like to say that we have recovered, but that would be a premature statement. We are doing ok, but there are moments when things are more frustrating than others. And of course times when things are better than others as well.
But here is the thing, here is the part that has been a killer...
"It's Awkward."
Having been at this most recent job for nearly 5 years we have connected with a lot of people, that is the point, ha! Those that we would have counted dearest must have found out that we have the Black Plague... Because that is how they have treated us. It is the strangest thing.
When we ask what the deal is, the response, is almost always, "well, its awkward." Gee, ya think? But explain how terribly uncomfortable it is for you... having your job and all?
Share how the possibility of relocating MY family is "awkward" for you and your family. I could go on about the awkwardness of the situation from MY end, but you will just think that I am a big whiner... and I may be. lol
I get it, you probably don't know what to say. You don't have to say a lot. In fact i told my aunt that she could call, she heard via a social network comment, but if she did call i wouldnt be offend that she had nothing to say. I mean we all want to know what that magic statement is, you know the one that makes it all better. Being spiritual, there are plenty of religious "encouragements" that one could draw from... Honestly, I wasn't looking for a "cure." I was looking for my friends to say that they would miss me, that they were concerned about me, that they were there for me (by "me" i mean the larger scope of my family).
All of the readers that I know that read, have done that, checked in, offered assistance, a listening ear... I appreciate that.
How awkward was it for you? oh yeah... that's right, not as awkward as it was for me.
The most uncomfortable thing for people to do is acknowledge the hurt in another's life. While this should be easier for "Christians" (after all, it's part of what we're CALLED to do), it is often from those we thought we were closest to that the most distance comes from. The thing is, alot of times, people just don't know how to cope with seeing friends or loved ones go through difficulty.
ReplyDeleteI think you hit a really important point, also. It's such an auto-response on the believer's part to try to impart some spiritual "nugget" to every situation. When that nugget doesn't surface, they simply lack the depth to know what to say....so they say nothing. I'm by no means trying to paint people I don't know with a brush of stupidity or ignorance, I just think that it's pretty universal that when someone feels like they need to say something, but can't think of anything, they cut off interaction, rather than try to offer a simple ear to hear or shoulder to cry on.
Continuing to stand in the gap for my friends,
SIB