An Ode to The Survivors
In light of recent political events, there have been a lot of posts and articles going up about how to get involved and change things. Posts about volunteering and voting and getting involved in local chapters of national movements. Posts about the best ways to use time, energy, money, and skills. Posts about how to take care of marginalized minorities and protect them. These are all excellent things. We need to do these things. We need to protect other people, make a plan for the future, and try to change things for the better and those who can do all those things (or just some) ought to. I'm not here to talk to those people. I'm here to talk to the survivors. I'm here to say that not everyone can do those things and that's okay. Some of us have disabilities or chronic illnesses that make difficult to impossible to leave the house. Some of us have mental health concerns like depression or anxiety, ADHD or other executive dysfunctions, low energy, etc. The list goes on. Not everyone can do 10 new things. Not everyone can help every at risk minority or important cause. We all have limited resources, but some of us are more limited than others. I'm here to say it's okay. If you can only add one new thing? Good for you. Do that thing. If you can't add anything? That's okay, too. If 'all' you can do is take care of yourself (and sometimes even that is difficult, let's be honest), do that. Don't feel pressured to add stress or anxiety to your life. Focus on taking care of yourself. That's valuable in and of itself. I value that choice, I value you.