Even at the holidays, life doesn’t stop. Amid the joy and celebration and light, we can still feel the weight of a broken relationship, a financial hardship, a diagnosis you’d give anything to take on yourself instead. It’s terribly hard to watch a friend or loved one struggle with a painful experience, but even harder sometimes to know how to give the support they need. This week, Emily’s friend Dean Crowe shares how to hold space for someone who’s hurting. A few years ago, Dean’s friends lost their son William after her battled cancer for several years. When Dean asked what she could do—beyond prayers, beyond bringing food, though those are important too—William’s parents asked Dean to find a way to fun childhood cancer research. And that’s exactly what she did, with her organization Rally Foundation. Dean and Emily talk about ways to support friends in big ways, but especially in the small ones, like showing up to clean or watching kids without being asked, even just being a sound board. Most of all, Dean reminds us to go beyond being grateful for the people in our lives. We can say we love them with our words, but even more with our actions.

 

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