Magic Words

I wish I knew the magic words. They are different for every situation and one needs a lot of experience to find them. But when one does, they can change everything. They can change how a human being perceives a situation, which means that they can change reality. Those words can stop a downward spiral of negative emotions and lead to a spark of hope towards a recovery, even if slow and tedious. Depression, sadness, hopelessness. When I meet a person who suffers from such feelings, I wish I knew the magic words that would relieve them. Yet it is so difficult to find them. It requires knowing the person better than they know themselves. But when it works, often by chance, it is the most rewarding feeling that I have ever known. The slightest smile, the comfort of not being left alone, the safety of a compassionate hug. I wish I had the talent to find the words that induce such hopeful feelings in a human who suffers.

A sign of hope under a dense blanket of clouds on the Lustrafjord in Norway