Sometimes it really sucks to be the person people come to when they need to vent. I don't mind being that person...that's my purpose in life is to listen to people. But what I hate is when I have a conversation with someone who is venting and I feel like at the end of the conversation, I have been no help at all and in fact may have even frustrated the person more. It's times like this that I really wish God would just change my purpose in life. Plus, it gets more frustrating when both parties involved talk to me. It's not frustration that I can't be like "well he/she said blah blah blah." Rather it's frustration in that I see both sides, see and feel their frustrations and don't know how to help. But am I always supposed to be able to "help" or is listening truly enough? I was told tonight by a dear friend that "I'm here" (in their opinon) is the greatest phrase in the English language. I guess my problem arises in that I want to prove that to the person(s) I'm listening to. Ironically enough,I find that although I am the sounding board for so many, there is no one really that I feel is a sounding board and listening ear to me. Oh, I have plenty of people in my life who care about me and say they are willing to listen (and really mean it). But on the rare chance that I actually open up, I feel shot down or not understood. Do people feel that way when they talk to me? I pray not! The last thing I want to do is tell them "I completely understand" because in reality I don't nor do I really want to because that means experiencing the same exact hurt and frustration. Rather, I want to simply sit next to them, genuinely listen, tell them "I'm here," pray for them, and then follow up. I think that is where we as people so often fail those around us...we rarely take the time to follow up on their prior issues. Why is that? How hard is it to focus less on ourselves for just long enough to stop the person a week later and say, "how's such and such going these days...any better?" I'm preaching to myself now so I'll stop. Sorry about the ranting and possible incoherency...