Let's start with the fact that Salmon Fishing in the Yemen is a "charming, witty" (Huffington Post) "whimsical romance" (NY Times). Let's agree that while it is not high art, it is a rather unadulterated, uplifting, even enchanting, smile-inducer—albeit one that earns its smiles only after subjecting its lovable, believably human characters to a certain amount of despair. That said let me also suggest that while its plot may cast wide, and, at times, threaten to wriggle its catch off the hook, if you hold the line's tension, in the end, Salmon Fishing reels in the big fish. And here's why.

Salmon Fishing is ultimately a story about faith—about holding on when you have no more strength or energy left to give; about surrendering to the unknown when everything inside you demands reliable answers and solutions; about going with what feels right, rather than what seems obvious or realistic in the moment; about finding the courage and conviction to rebuild when everything around you has crumbled and lies in ruin; about defying the odds, not because of some idealized fantasy, but rather because of integrity, dedication, and perseverance.

It would be easy to label Salmon Fishing as simply a "feel good" movie, because in many ways it is. But only to do so minimizes its underlying message: that challenge and adversity are a fundamental part of life—but that they are not, not overcomable if only we put our heart and mind to it. That skepticism is real and in many cases well-placed, but it ought not to be a hindrance full stop to an abiding sense of optimism, aspiration, and true, "well-placed" human desire. And lastly, that despite life's harsh realities about what sometimes "is," in time, with experience, and upon reflection, this perspective can morph from despair into tender hope about what still can be.

Salmon Fishing is undoubtedly crazy—but the best kind of crazy: it captures the existential zeitgeist about the fact that some stuff in life just sucks and that some outcomes are often uncertain, but that when faith lives and breathes within us, anything is possible.

Watching a friend or loved one go through adversity isn't easy. Not only does it tear on our heartstrings but also it can make us uncomfortable.

While we might rather deny it, an awkward truth is that sometimes another person's "illness" (whether that is of body, mind or spirit) makes us ill at ease. We wonder what to say or not say. We worry about having nothing to say. We might even prefer not to think about their situation because it hits too close to home - we'd rather their pain not sully our life's picture of security, order and happiness. This does not make us bad; it simply makes us human.

For those of us who are not professional counselors or therapists, it's totally natural for of us to draw a blank, or even insert foot in mouth, when forced to confront head on a person who is in pain or struggling to hold it together. Having said that, it doesn't necessarily help the situation. So here are a few tips for interacting with someone who is dealing with adversity, whether it's a health concern, the death of a loved one, a financial problem, a crisis of faith, or any other of life's myriad challenges.

1. "Don't worry. It will all work out. I know it will." Sorry, but while you may hope that this is the case, you don't actually know that it will be the case. People in pain don't need wish fulfillment; they need support. What's more, they cling to reliable information. If you can offer this, great. If you can't, find another way to be helpful. For instance trying telling them, "I'm here for you through thick and thin. I'll do whatever I can to help you work through this." Also, listen. Be a resource. Help them put together a plan. Your affection and availability is so much more helpful than your aspiration of certainty.
2. "Everything happens for a reason." Or, "We're only given what we can handle." While you may believe this, others may not; and even if they did previously, adversity can call such a powerful principle into question. Best not to project your own beliefs and values onto others. This is especially true for people facing betrayal, loss or injustice. Be present. Be a steward in helping them to find something meaningful and directive about the situation. Don't try to be God.
3. "Someone always has it worse. Just think about...(name your cause)." Having patience and maintaining perspective is an essential part of dealing with challenge and adversity; but it doesn't come easy. People in the midst of pain typically don't want hear about other people's pain...at least just now. And reminding them that there are others who are suffering, especially more than they are usually just results in trying their patience and causing them frustration. Validating a person's feelings of pain, fear, injustice, etc. isn't indulgent and won't necessarily make them into a martyr. What is most helpful is allowing those who are in pain to be sad, mad, outraged, cry - to express their emotions. In fact, a huge part of getting through adversity and building resilience is learning to ride the waves of emotions, allowing them to come and go as they will. If at some point you see that a loved one is staying in the trough of those waves, remaining down more than they are up, then you could suggest that it might be time to talk to a professional mental health counselor. 
4. "I know what you're going through." Do you really? Have you actually been through the same set of circumstances that this person has? Or are you projecting your own experiences onto their situation. Situations are rarely exactly the same; however, emotions are similar. We all feel fear, anger, sadness, guilt, joy, relief, satisfaction, and so on. It's important when interacting with someone in pain or dealing with adversity to first listen to their story, their experience, and their emotional challenges. Allowing a person to be heard is one of the best healers we can offer. Then, and only then, is it helpful to share snippets of your experience, doing so to show of empathy - a way to say, "You're not alone," not as a way to trump or minimize theirs.
5. "Don't be negative. Be positive. Think happy thoughts." While wallowing isn't necessarily the most effective path for healing, let's not forget that adversity and tragedy isn't a positive experience. Trying to hide a person's pain behind forced feelings happiness isn't going to make the pain go away. It's only going to make it come out in other ways. "Be positive," and other platitudes like it, are often just a way to fill an awkward silence when we simply don't know what to say. Instead of espousing the "be happy" line, how about trying to be honest. It's okay - and often more helpful - to say to someone in pain, "I wish I knew what to say to you. I can't imagine what you're going through. Let me know what I can do to help."

Watching a friend or loved one go through adversity isn't easy. And sometimes we don't know what to say or how to engage them; sometimes we wish we didn't have to. But knowing how to do this will make the process easier, and ensure that our relationship not only stays in tact, but also perhaps even strengthens.