How do you learn to be present to the pain of another?

Present in a way that does not aim to corrrect, does not

try to suture the wound, does not change, judge, objectify,

condemn, or dehumanize~ turning woundedness into an 'issue'.

We learn to listen, we learn to be the empath, we learn

to be with each other in this state of perpetual woundedness.

A gradual pulling away from worldy distraction.

Only listening, quiet, we must strive to become the safe

ones, the safe place, the burning beacon of Hope guiding

home those that are lost in a larger world of darkness.

We learn to die to ourselves, for the sake of the greater

good. We ache to become ears for wounded souls. We hope to

see with eyes of understanding, using our own brokenness to

know aching hearts.

If we are lucky, we learn to heal, to unite, to

comfort, to befriend, to bring home the lost, above all to
love.

If we are ever worthy to aspire to such a cause~ we must

know that even this is gifted unto us as Grace, so we must

respond with humility and the awe that comes from being

present in the perfect sorrow and agonizing bliss of humanity~