basking in sunshine, running from rain

you know what i've noticed about people? well, not all people, but some people.

they are your best friends when you're all smiles, happy, and free.

but the minute they sense a bit of gloom, hurt, or sadness, they tend to shy away.

they say, "how are you?" but do they really care? because when when you answer, "meh. not feeling so hot today," they raise their eyebrows and say, "oh...i'm sorry....i'll leave you alone then."

i guess people only want to hear, " i'm very well, thank you," and then keep moving.

they will sit and laugh and listen to you tell joyful stories of fortune, beaches, fullness of life, and pleasure for hours. but will only listen to you cry for a minute before they have to get back to...life.

but the truth is, we all have days when we're not so well. are we supposed to fake it and smile and say we're fine even when we're not? what ever happened to reaching out to the brokenhearted, to bear their burdens with them?

i guess it's a natural(?) tendency for people to only want to surround themselves with good things, bright things. maybe when we witness heavier emotions, it's TOO heavy, so we back away. maybe we're going through our own trials and have no energy to hold someone's hand through theirs. maybe we're swallowing our own tears and have no time to wipe away someone else's. maybe listening to someone else's pain only reminds us that in this world, sometimes rain does fall. and maybe we don't like to think about that.

i know that God puts special people in our lives who will always lift us up, will let us pour out our hearts and will help us carry our crosses. and not everyone that we meet is going to be equipped to be that person, to play that role.

but it makes me wonder, why don't more people reach out to others and stand in their rain with them?

also makes me wonder how many times i've done that to someone else. how many times have i seen someone standing in the rain and merely tossed them an umbrella and kept moving? how many times have i only wanted to be near their sunshine, but left them alone in their storms?

Lord, please help me be a person always willing to stand in the rain with someone else. please help me to know that though sunny days are fabulous, at some point we all have to endure rain. forgive me for all the times i could have wiped away someone's tears, or listened to their heavy heart, but i was too busy, too selfish, or too happy to be bothered by their pain. give me the strength to help someone endure their cross today. let me never be so consumed with my own storms, that i fail to open my arms and shelter someone during theirs. and thank You, Father, for being a Shelter that is never weak, but always strong; an Inn that is never full, but always welcomes us in out of the storm; and loving arms that warm us and dry up all of our rain. thank You.