Incognito

We’ve all heard it before. You’re lying in bed in a full body cast and pouring your heart out to a friend. Just three days before you were laid off from your job when on your way home your failed attempt to avoid hitting an animal renders your car totaled, your pelvis shattered and to top it all off the animal you still managed to mow down was your beloved pet. At times like this there are no words. All you need is the presence of a loved one when you hear it… “I’m sure this is just a blessing in disguise.” "Really?" you ask. "A blessing? You do realize that the narcotics I have to take to ease the pain cause me to poop rock hard turds through a hole in my cast. Well please by all means cancel my order. We’re all full up on blessings here."

You then hesitate to bring up your dear friend’s husband’s infidelity or her Rheumatoid Arthritis but against your better judgment you do it anyway. What’s good for the goose is good for the gander, right? Of course, all of these things are blessings in disguise. Blessings have just gotten really good at disguising themselves lately. Let’s see. Bunion on left foot- blessing. Dyslexia- blessing. Diarrhea, crapping my pants, having a two week long period. Blessing, blessing, blessing.

So I guess the common thread in all of these situations is that our loved ones don’t always know how to react or just what to say when people they care for are hurting. When a loved one is hurting sometimes there are no words and the best thing you can do is just be a presence…a silent presence. It will speak volumes.

Otherwise, the next time you see a strange man lurking outside your window wearing an overly elaborate mustache, an ostentatious wig and brandishing a crowbar think twice before calling the police. That may just be your next blessing.