Henri J. M. Nouwen, examining...
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Object:
Henri J. M. Nouwen, examining the Latin roots of the word "consolation," reminds us that it is composed of con (with) and solus (lonely or alone). To offer consolation is to be with someone who is lonely, abandoned. In Bread for the Journey (New York: HarperCollins, 1997), a compilation of Nouwen's writings, we read:
We can and must console the mother who lost her child, the young person with AIDS, the family whose house burned down, the soldier who was wounded, the teenager who contemplates suicide, the old man who wonders why he should stay alive. To console does not mean to take away the pain but rather to be there and say, "You are not alone, I am with you. Together we can carry the burden. Don't be afraid. I am here." That is consolation. We all need to give it as well as to receive it.
We can and must console the mother who lost her child, the young person with AIDS, the family whose house burned down, the soldier who was wounded, the teenager who contemplates suicide, the old man who wonders why he should stay alive. To console does not mean to take away the pain but rather to be there and say, "You are not alone, I am with you. Together we can carry the burden. Don't be afraid. I am here." That is consolation. We all need to give it as well as to receive it.
