“I've been making a list of the things they don't teach you at school.
They don't teach you how to love somebody. They don't teach you how to
be famous. They don't teach you how to be rich or how to be poor. They
don't teach you how to walk away from someone you don't love any
longer. They don't teach you how to know what's going on in someone
else's mind. They don't teach you what to say to someone who's dying.
They don't teach you anything worth knowing.”
-Neil Gaiman
I haven't read a lot of books by Neil Gaiman, so I shall not claim to
be a big fan. Heck,I haven't even read a few. I've just read one and I
suspect it wouldn't even have been one had it not been a gift from a
very dear friend.
I came across this particular quote and it made me pause and ponder.
Its true. No one ever teaches you what to say to someone who's dying.
Your heart is breaking but you cannot utter a single meaningful word. But
then again, we don't usually have to face this situation when we're
young.
What we do have to deal with are friends who lose someone close to
them at an age where they can't even grasp the reality of it. They're
as clueless as you are. As shocked that this couldve happened. Angry
at the world, at God, at everyone.
You're shocked too. Too shocked for words. All that you can stutter is
'Take care', 'I'm there for you,if you need me to be.' and coming up
with even these two simple sentences requires you to apply an immense
amount of pressure on your brain.
All you can do,at times like these, is to let your actions speak in
stead of your confused stutters and mumbles. Sometimes,you don't need
to speak. All you need to do is listen.
Everybody is dying to talk and the nicest thing you can do sometimes,
is to let them.
They don't teach you how to love somebody. They don't teach you how to
be famous. They don't teach you how to be rich or how to be poor. They
don't teach you how to walk away from someone you don't love any
longer. They don't teach you how to know what's going on in someone
else's mind. They don't teach you what to say to someone who's dying.
They don't teach you anything worth knowing.”
-Neil Gaiman
I haven't read a lot of books by Neil Gaiman, so I shall not claim to
be a big fan. Heck,I haven't even read a few. I've just read one and I
suspect it wouldn't even have been one had it not been a gift from a
very dear friend.
I came across this particular quote and it made me pause and ponder.
Its true. No one ever teaches you what to say to someone who's dying.
Your heart is breaking but you cannot utter a single meaningful word. But
then again, we don't usually have to face this situation when we're
young.
What we do have to deal with are friends who lose someone close to
them at an age where they can't even grasp the reality of it. They're
as clueless as you are. As shocked that this couldve happened. Angry
at the world, at God, at everyone.
You're shocked too. Too shocked for words. All that you can stutter is
'Take care', 'I'm there for you,if you need me to be.' and coming up
with even these two simple sentences requires you to apply an immense
amount of pressure on your brain.
All you can do,at times like these, is to let your actions speak in
stead of your confused stutters and mumbles. Sometimes,you don't need
to speak. All you need to do is listen.
Everybody is dying to talk and the nicest thing you can do sometimes,
is to let them.
