At Least

"At least

it's only

stage two"

they say.

"At least we have

a great hospital

nearby"

they say.

"At least the

survival rates

for Hodgkin’s lymphoma

are so high"

they say.

At least.

At least.

At least.

Is there a more

dismissive phrase?

Don't pretend my pain

is so small

to make yourself

feel better.

Don't try to find

the elusive

silver lining.

It's not your place.

It's ours.

You.

Just listen.

Just ask,

"How are you?

Can I help?"

Just say,

"Wow.

There are no words.

I'm so sorry

you're going through that."

Don't you dare say

"at least."

————————————————————————————————————————

I cringe when I hear myself say “at least” in response to someone else’s experience. It’s a hard habit to break! We are so primed to find the good, and that’s important, but there needs to be space for mourning, too. What sayings or phrases no longer sit right with you now that you live in cancer world?