You can help another person because of what you have suffered through in your life. There is only one person who can help someone else in emotional or physical pain. That person is someone who has experienced the same kind of pain.

Too often you might say that you understand someone's pain. But do you? How can you feel the pain of what someone is going through if you have no experienced the pain yourself?

This is not to say you need to have had cancer to help someone with cancer. Your help can be on a very basic but extremely loving and important level. You can have empathy and understanding just by LISTENING. Simply listen to someone in pain. Ask some questions but reserve your comments unless the other person asks for your thoughts.

Whatever you do, don't ever say. "If you need anything let me know" kind of catch all statement to someone who is hurting. What that means is only offer help if and only if you are available and willing to help the other person. What that really means is that offering another person help is really offering yourself. Offer your time, your "listening skills", you compassion and really your inner most prayers.

Just a smile or a touch for someone who is hurting can lift the cross of grief they are carrying. If even for a moment that you do this they will feel loved and not alone. You can be an angel on earth. What nobler thing can you be in your life than one whom helps another person? Is this you?