It is not always easy to hold the tender spots of someone who is feeling down. When we love people, it makes our hearts hurt when their hearts hurt, and it can be difficult to determine how they would like to be loved when they are feeling dark. Sometimes the loving comes naturally, because their heart is only sort of achy—nothing a T-Swift song can’t make better. Other times they are buried in a sadness that’s hard to navigate and love through.
Perhaps the greatest part of knowing another human is experiencing life together. Sharing your hearts and genuinely taking care of a relationship that helps you become a better person. Our sad times are some of our most important life lessons, and a good friend, a really genuinely special friend, sticks it out with you through the messed up times that leave us feeling low and lost.
The best thing you can do for a friend is listen and support. Forgive the crankiness that comes with feeling low, and remind them of all the beautiful magical things that make being alive wonderful and strange. Help them see things from a different perspective, and if you haven’t found a way to honor their sadness but still encourage them to ease up on themselves a bit, here are a few gentle suggestions: