I just saw a Facebook post that reads "Don't offer a lecture to a person who needs a hug," and that message is surprisingly personal to me. There was a time when I was terribly frustrated and upset, and someone nearby cared more about how I expressed my frustration than about how I felt. That person criticized me, despite (and because of) the fact that I was already terribly frustrated and upset. Eventually, I had to remove myself from the situation entirely, and I'm glad I did that before doing something else I might regret, but this experience taught me a valuable lesson I hope I already knew: “Never let a problem to be solved become more important than a person to be loved” (President Thomas S. Monson, “Finding Joy in the Journey”).
People need love more than lectures, especially when they're struggling with something, especially with their emotions. I hope that I'll be wise enough to give love and hugs to the people who need them when they need them. The lectures (preferably lovingly given) can wait.
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