Carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2 

Several months ago my friend sent me a story, written by A.A. Milne. For me, it perfectly illustrates one way to carry a friend’s burdens. Here’s Mr. Milne’s story.

          Winnie the Pooh, Piglet and Eeyore

It occurred to Pooh and Piglet that they hadn’t heard from Eeyore for several days, so they put on their hats and coats and trotted across the Hundred Acre Wood to Eeyore’s stick house. Inside the house was Eeyore.

“Hello Eeyore,” said Pooh.

“Hello Pooh. Hello Piglet,” said Eeyore, in a Glum Sounding Voice.

“We just thought we’d check in on you,” said Piglet, “because we hadn’t heard from you, and so we wanted to know if you were okay.”

Eeyore was silent for a moment. “Am I okay?” he asked, eventually. “Well, I don’t know, to be honest. Are any of us really okay? That’s what I ask myself. All I can tell you, Pooh and Piglet, is that right now I feel really rather Sad, and Alone, and Not Much Fun To Be Around At All. Which is why I haven’t bothered you. Because you wouldn’t want to waste your time hanging out with someone who is Sad, and Alone, and Not Much Fun To Be Around At All, would you now.”

Pooh looked at Piglet, and Piglet looked at Pooh, and they both sat down, one on either side of Eeyore in his stick house.

Eeyore looked at them in surprise. “What are you doing?”

“We’re sitting here with you,” said Pooh, “because we are your friends. And true friends don’t care if someone is feeling Sad, or Alone, or Not Much Fun To Be Around At All. True friends are there for you anyway. And so here we are.”

“Oh,” said Eeyore. “Oh.” And the three of them sat there in silence, and while Pooh and Piglet said nothing at all; somehow, almost imperceptibly, Eeyore started to feel a very tiny little bit better.

Because Pooh and Piglet were There. 

No more; no less.

~~~~~~~~~~~

I’m sure that there have been times when I’ve been so busy speeding through my own life that I haven’t even noticed when someone I usually see and talk with in my neighborhood or at church hasn’t been around for awhile. I hope that if they felt like they just weren’t any fun to be around that the Lord sent a Pooh or Piglet into their life!

Honestly, I know there have been times when I have missed someone’s presence, but I’m afraid that too often I’ve let my lack of helpful words keep me from calling them, or stopping by, or mailing a card to show that I care. I wish on those days I had remembered that Pooh and Piglet weren’t fazed in the slightest by their lack of counsel for Eeyore. Eeyore needed a friend, and a friend was something they could be! I need to take my cues from his loving, determined friends.

No doubt there will be more opportunities. I am certain there are people everywhere who are feeling “really rather Sad, and Alone, and Not Much Fun To Be Around At All” who don’t yet have caring Poohs or Piglets in their lives. Are they worthy of my time or friendship? Jesus would say, “Absolutely!” Time was something He was always willing to generously share. He stopped, He spoke, He went out of His way to minister to the very people whom everyone else had mentally judged to be not worth their time. 

Jesus told His disciples, “I give you a new commandment – to love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.” John 13:34 

Recently a friend wept as she shared her sadness with me. As she spoke, though I wished to offer answers, I had none to give. I didn’t bother flipping through the Bible in my memory searching for a verse that would offer comfort, because I truly sensed it simply wasn’t the right time for that yet. In the end, she thanked me for my time, my caring, my listening. I think perhaps I had been doing what Paul told the Galatians to do. I did my best to help carry her burdens. And though I didn’t remember the Eeyore story at the time, I’d like to think that perhaps I was a Pooh for my friend that day!

Holy Spirit, as I go through my busy days, remind me to slow down, pay attention to Your nudges, and take notice. Maybe there are friends, even some I’ve yet to meet, who need a Piglet or Pooh! Please help me to show them love in a tangible way…even if that means just taking the time to sit quietly by their side. I don’t want selfishness with my time or my perceived lack of answers to ever keep me from bringing Your comfort to someone. Help me to love as Jesus has loved me.