The skinny branches
“You don’t have to go it alone. We are here for you.”
This is the message that came to me when I spied some new leaves at the very edges of our pear tree the other morning.
Like so many, I have felt saddened and overwhelmed by recent events. As well, I have felt clumsy and incompetent in how I can help. That, combined with the realities and feelings associated with the pandemic and my husband’s recent surgery, have allowed two persistent thoughts to take hold: “It’s all too much" and "I can’t get anything right.”
In spite of the abundance of antiracism information and resources being offered on social media (in my newsfeed and in groups to which I belong) and in the email newsletters I receive, I have felt stuck. Stuck feeling alone both in my sense of loss and in being at a loss as to where I even begin to move forward from where we now find ourselves.
I feel very much like those tender leaves at the ends of the skinny branches—exposed, fearful, and uncertain at being pushed out past the edge of my comfort zone. Maybe you do, too.
This message was a much-needed reminder that I do not have to do this growth work alone. I do not have to rely solely on my own knowledge and resources, which are feeling taxed and limited. I have a network of wise women friends, coaches, colleagues, and mentors whom I can turn to for support and guidance as I thoughtfully push forward. And this brings me comfort at a time when so much is uncomfortable, as it should be.
As I often say and truly believe, none of us is meant to travel this road alone. If you too have been feeling overwhelmed by the shaky ground we are all now standing on, ask yourself: What support do I need right now? Who can I turn to for support?
We have been through a lot these past few months, and we need each other now more than ever if we are to create the world we desire, one in which there is peace and justice for all.
Wherever you are on this journey right now, I want you to know that you are not alone. If you need someone to listen with compassion and without judgment, I am here for you. This is my gift during this time. Please reach out.
