When I hear offers of ‘thoughts and prayers’ at tragic circumstances, I wonder about the follow through, and if there’s no gesture less cliché or with more substance to take its place? Can’t we make deliberately better offstage promises and bigger differences for those in situations we care about?

Next time, to express concerns or condolences, consider the alternative that if you truly want to think and pray for someone, say nothing, lose both the comment and cliché, and just take a knee right there.

The silent prayer of the righteous man accomplishes much more than an offering what’s now become a less than consoling comment ever will.