{"id":7321,"date":"2020-04-02T15:02:13","date_gmt":"2020-04-02T19:02:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/?p=7321"},"modified":"2021-04-10T19:32:24","modified_gmt":"2021-04-10T23:32:24","slug":"english-words-of-support","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/english-words-of-support\/","title":{"rendered":"English Words of Support"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Image by John Hain from Pixabay, CCO<\/p><\/div>\n

For the last several weeks I have been hearing a common phrase on television and radio, in teleconferences, and among friends \u2013 \u201cWe\u2019re all in this together.\u201d<\/p>\n

This is meant to encourage people to feel better about the situation we\u2019re all in. It\u2019s a way of saying that, as difficult as this may be, you are not alone. And we need to hear this occasionally. We need to support one another because these are unprecedented times. I text or email friends and coworkers just to say hi and to check in on their health. And I have been looking for other words or phrases of support.<\/p>\n

If you hear something too often, it becomes a clich\u00e9<\/strong>. A word or phrase becomes clich\u00e9 when it has been used so often that it becomes nearly meaningless. And, while I don\u2019t wish to demean anyone who rightfully states, \u201cWe\u2019re all in this together,\u201d this is a blog about the proper use of English. There are many other ways to express mutual support!<\/p>\n

Famous Quotes<\/strong><\/h3>\n
    \n
  • \u201cBelieve you can, and you\u2019re halfway there.\u201d Theodore Roosevelt<\/strong><\/li>\n
  • \u201cIn the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.\u201d Albert Einstein<\/strong><\/li>\n
  • \u201cIt\u2019s not whether you get knocked down. It\u2019s whether you get up.\u201d Vince Lombardi<\/strong><\/li>\n
  • \u201cIt always seems impossible until it\u2019s done.\u201d Nelson Mandela<\/strong><\/li>\n
  • \u201cSuccess is not final; failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.\u201d Winston Churchill<\/strong><\/li>\n
  • \u201cHardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny.\u201d C.S. Lewis<\/strong><\/li>\n
  • \u201cWe can\u2019t help everyone, but everyone can help someone.\u201d Ronald Reagan<\/strong><\/li>\n
  • \u201cNo act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.\u201d Attributed to Aesop<\/strong><\/li>\n
  • \u201cThe sun himself is weak when he first rises, and gathers strength and courage as the day gets on.\u201d Charles Dickens<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Not everyone is going to want to quote a famous author or historical figure when speaking words of encouragement and support, however. Sometimes, you just try to say the right thing. Here are some other ways to express solidarity in these difficult times.<\/p>\n

      \n
    • You\u2019ve got this!<\/strong><\/li>\n
    • Hang in there!<\/strong><\/li>\n
    • There are better times ahead.<\/strong><\/li>\n
    • We\u2019re all doing the best we can.<\/strong><\/li>\n
    • Just take it one day at a time.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      That last phrase is a variation on an old saying, \u201cA little progress each day adds up to big results.\u201d People who have abused alcohol and\/or drugs use this philosophy in the belief that recovery is built on one day\u2019s progress at a time. Life is measured by taking one step at a time on the journey through life. This way, the road doesn\u2019t seem so long, the obstacles aren\u2019t so numerous.<\/p>\n

      My father regularly told me to never worry about anything that I couldn\u2019t control. I remember him saying, \u201cWorrying never accomplishes anything.\u201d And, he was absolutely correct. I have always tried to remind myself of that and to spread that message to anyone who needs to hear it.<\/p>\n

      I know that this has been an odd blog post. I certainly didn\u2019t set out to philosophize or to theorize about serious issues in any weighty or ponderous manner. In fact, though, it is difficult to see or read about people who are having a difficult time dealing with a worldwide pandemic. Anything you can say to another person to help them cope is always going to be welcome.<\/p>\n

      And, if you can\u2019t find the words, try singing!<\/p>\n