This, I hope, will make an excellent read for both men and women. Please do plough on. It will help women (if they need it) to understand how us men think and feel. It will help men to understand how they feel as we are not always very good at expressing our feelings and emotions. But be warned, this may not be a comfortable read.

I have a friend here in blogland and they are currently in a crisis situation. I opened their latest blog about an hour ago and quite honestly it was heartbreaking.
They expressed such doom and despondency, the futility of their life.
I havent yet responded to the entry because I just don't know what to say. It is still open in my tabs and I have promised myself, and the blogger, that i will not close it until I can respond.

My initial reaction was to close it and run. First thing in the morning this is not what I want to read. My brain is not gear yet. I want entertaining, I want cheery fun stuff first thing.
I also dont want someone making me feel so inadequate. There is nothing I can do. If the blogger was even a hundred miles away I would jump in my car and go and encourage them. No one can resist my 1-2-1 encouragement. :)
I could phone them and offer something positive. But they are far far away and so, like dealing with an upset woman, I feel powerless.

Well if there is nothing I can do, perhaps I should close the blog and move on? No, this person is in need. I must face up to my inadequacy and find something positive to say or do.

I will not get angry because I feel so useless. I will not feel angry because this blog has shown me weak.

Nor will I hate this blogger because they remind me so much of me. I will not strike them off my list because they have made feel uncomfortable with myself. I WILL face up to this crisis even at this ridiculous and unearthly hour (6.30am.).

I have been where this blogger is at, more than once. Due to the support and understanding I have received I have come out of the other side. So doubly I am reminded of my weakness.

I want to run away from this piece of writing and the whole situation, but no, to stay and fight my instinct means that I become more of a man. Sure it might spoil my morning but at the end of the day I am the one who will have gained in so many ways.

Please feel free to copy this or link people to it if you think it will prove helpful to them.

As for me, that window will not close until I have reached down deep inside of myself and found something to offer my friend.