Читать книгу Above and Beyond - J.S. Dorian - Страница 22

“It is better to understand little than to misunderstand a lot.”

ANATOLE FRANCE

A friend stopped by to tell my wife and me that she had been diagnosed with a relatively uncommon inflammatory disease. When she mentioned its eight-syllable name, we said we had never heard of it.

“Very few people have heard of it,” she responded, “and I get really upset when I try to describe the illness and get them to understand what I’ve been going through. Some of them look at me blankly. One man at work actually backed away as if he might catch something from me.”

Her frustration brought me back to the time, years ago, when I was first diagnosed with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, commonly known as lupus or SLE. It was all I could do to understand the illness itself, let alone explain it to others. I, too, experienced blank stares and people pulling away.

I eventually came up with a solution to the problem. For some friends and co-workers, I scripted a short explanation that provided just enough information but not more than they needed (or wished) to know. For close friends and relatives, I made copies of an article that explained the illness clearly, concisely, and encouragingly.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

Explanations aren’t always necessary, but when they are, my guidelines will be simplicity, clarity, and brevity.