The Silent Presence of a Friend is All
Saint-Exupéry in writes in The Little Prince, “He could not say anything else. He burst suddenly into sobs. Night had fallen. I dropped my tools. . . . I took him in my arms. I cradled him. . . . I did not know what else to say. I felt very awkward. I didn’t know how to reach it, where to find it . . . it’s so mysterious. The country of tears!”
NOTE: It’s not easy to console a friend when they are beset with grief, when they are crying uncontrollably. The country of tears is far beyond our reach. A friend told me, “Ray, depending on the weather all you do is shiver or sweat.” His words had an impact on me. Words are not necessary. One’s presence is what matters. Holding another’s hand or embracing another when they are overflowing with sorrow matters. Love is the only passport into the country of tears.
