Bad thing Quote by Dawn O'Porter
““The importance of friends and family in times of need By Renée Sargent When people feel sad, what they need is attention. Not the kind of attention where they have to be told how amazing they all the time. Just kind of attention where they know that should they need you, you are there. I would like that kind of attention. I don't care about the other kind, even though everyone thinks I do. When something horrible happens to someone the worst thing anyone can do is tell them off, or accuse them of being mean, or make them feel guilty about stuff they did that they are sorry about, because you can do bad things and be really sorry. They should just listen to them, and talk about things, because when you don't talk about things everything builds up inside you like boiling pan with a lid on. All the water dribbles out the sides but the lid won't come off. It's like that. Life just feels like little dribbles down the side of a pan. I think friends and families are the ones who can lift the lid off in a good way.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Guardian, 2020
Friends and family should provide genuine, non‑judgmental attention and listening, not forced praise.
In simple terms: Real listening helps heal, not empty compliments.
Key Takeaway
Listen actively and offer steady presence.
Themes
friendship
family
emotional support
communication
Mood
empathetic
reflective
Type
advice
supportive
When to use this quote
- grief
- stress
- conflict resolution
- mental health
Key Concepts
active listening
emotional validation
Questions to Reflect On
- What does “real attention” look like to you?
- How can you create safe space for honest sharing?
A Different Perspective
People may resist opening up; listening alone may not solve deeper issues.
![“Yeah, unfortunately [ films like Miss Julie are a dying breed]. And that is sad, because we need these. Like we need books, we need classical music, we need ballet, we need opera, to remind us really of who we are and why we are, and we need in movie houses - even to be in a movie - where you sit…” quote by Liv Ullmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/dfd/liv-ullmann-12443_ballet_yeah-unfortunately-films-like-miss-julie_2371618.jpg)
