sensitive news

I got some sad news yesterday. A friend's status update on Facebook that alarmed. He's usually a high energy and optimistic person but his status message seemed gloomy. I immediately sent him a text (something I don't usually do) that read "baby whats wrong?" (something I don't usually say but something told to act with lots of tlc). I wasn't expecting a response of "my brother's been in a coma for two weeks."

A lot went through my head. For one, I know his brother is "sick", though I was never sure what this meant, I never pried to ask for details, and I don't think now is the time. (I have a slight inclination to think it may be cancer?I can only say this with 50% certainty. )High Energy has mentioned in the past regular hospital visits that his brother had were maybe monthly. My impression was that this was some follow up to something that was under control.

I didn't know how to respond, my first reaction was to respond with "your family is in my prayers" but this would not be true. I don't pray. High Energy knows this by now, he's known me for five years. I didn't want to come across as generic and fake at a time like this so I just told him that I'm here for him, though I felt kind of helpless not being able to say something that he (as a devout Christian) would find more meaningful.

I'm curious to know more of the situation and I've been thinking about him a lot. He recently just accepted a promotion so he now lives in a different state altogether about a thousand miles away from home. I start to cry just thinking of what he's going through.