“A woman I know, let’s call her Dorothea, tells me another story. Every evening she hears her neighbor’s baby girl crying in the apartment next to hers. The parents put the child to sleep alone in the dark. The baby cries for a long time while the parents watch television. The baby’s desperate crying expresses all her anguish, her solitude. What should Dorothea do? She is uncertain. Speaking to the parents might make things worse. She decides to sing. Just as she can hear the baby, the baby can hear her. Every evening when they put the baby to bed, Dorothea sings her sweet lullabies, talks to her through the thin walls, consoles and comforts her. The baby hears the invisible friendly voice, stops crying, and falls peacefully asleep. The warmth of a stranger’s voice has saved her from the icy cold of loneliness.”
To Practice:
Take a few minutes to reflect on this story. Do you identify with the baby, the parents, or Dorothea? Does this story bring to mind any similar situations in your life? Who could you comfort? How might you be a consoling presence? Commit to putting your reflections into action the next time you encounter such a situation.