I suspect most of us have friends that fall into that category. At times, I have also uncomfortably been a part of that group. Emotional pain is something not easily ignored. I've been there, and perhaps the experience heightens my empathy and understanding of where people find themselves.
So what can I do or what can you do to make the circumstances of those we interact with more civil, tolerable, and hopeful. Shouldn't a desire to demonstrate compassion be a priority for us. It seemingly falls in the pathway of sharing God's love.
During my childhood, I repeatedly had bad dreams where I was inside a yellow school bus that ran off a cliff. Fortunately, I always awakened before the bus crashed, but I also found the dream was unsettling. It seemed strange to me that I would dream of being on a school bus because I'd never ridden one. I walked to school - You know the typical ten miles uphill both ways (aka 3 blocks on a flat surface).
Years later, I did some research about the symbolism of being inside a falling bus. There are many theories. For example: "Falling off a cliff in a bus dream is a harbinger for lost security, comfort and companionship."
As a kid, I had absolutely no interest or skill in playing baseball, football or basketball. Obviously, something had to be wrong with me. I didn't fit in.
I thought about the yellow falling bus dreams this morning because after I drifted off to sleep in the early hours of the morning after thinking of friends in hard places, I had another dream that involved a school bus.
This time, the bus didn't go off a cliff, and I was the person driving the bus. My interpretation is that I have a personal responsibility to offer words of encouragment and hope to folks in the midst of emotional difficulty.
All My Best!
Don