A Gripe

You know what I really hate? And this has nothing to do with Dave's dad passing away and all the times I have heard this lately. Maybe it has brought it to the forefront of my mind, though I have hated it for a long time.

I really hate when something bad happens and people say, "If there's anything I can do, let me know."

Have you ever had anything they could do? If you thought of something later, did you ask them for help? If you happened to swallow your pride and ask, did they help you? No, they found an excuse not to.

Doesn't "anything" mean anything anymore?

I know this is just a thing to say. I am guilty of it myself. What we really mean to say is, "I wish there was something I could do. But there's not. But I'm pulling for ya." It just gets under my skin how it can be so heartfelt and still mean nothing. I mean, if you want to help someone, just help them. Just find an appropriate way and do it.

Too much talky talky.

Comments

Dan said…
Yeah, there are a lot of things like that that we're just conditioned to say. Such as "see you later", even when you're talking to someone on the phone in another state who you'll NEVER see again (and, for that matter, have never seen before).

Even asked "How are you?" can have some bad results. There was an old romanian guy on my mission, and anytime you asked him how he was doing, he'd say, "You know my life...of dog." Every time. We really tried hard not to ask how he was doing, but it's hard not to. It's just part of the conditioned human response.
Annie said…
You are absolutely right. I think maybe it is just something to say because you don't really know what to say in certain situations.

By the way, I love your new look!!!
Heather said…
Me too...how did you do that? (The new look of your blog...!) It's so pretty...!
Misty Moncur said…
ourblogtemplates.com But I did the header picture myself on my scrapbook program.
Robert said…
It does seem pretty weird to say, but I usually mean it. And besides, it sounds nicer than "well that sucks, you're prolly gonna hate life for a while, well, gotta go" But I do wish we (as a society) were more active and less talky.
Kristin Sokol said…
Let me know if there is anything I can do to help ease your irritation. Well...gotta go.
Dave said…
Misty, let me go fetch you a sandwich, with a pickle and turkey, mayo, hold the mustard. Hate isn't a good thing. Irritation just needs a good sav, like bag-balm, moist and utter-buttery. People aren't perfect, and it is funny the things we say, like last night on american idol when we were on the couch flippin' the channel, Ryan Secrest: Coming out, Clay Akien and Ruben Stadbla bla". COMING OUT! Come on, that is funny stuff!
So...that's why noone ever takes me up on my offer. Here I was just sitting offended thinking they don't like me! lol

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