Starting Afresh

"Sometimes it takes major setbacks to realize what really matters most, and that's connection."

by David Alder, 3/1/2023

The old saying that "Every day is a good day" has tripped me up. It can be very difficult to think of a future where things work out for the best, where we meet our goals and manage to keep things together. Often, that's lonely work, mostly on our own.

But there comes the occasional moment when, despite all the seemingly impossible challenges and losses, that we pick ourselves up one more time, to try our hand at the game of life again. This kind of resilience isn't something everyone readily has. It takes practice. Sometimes it takes major setbacks to realize what really matters most, and that's connection.

Bootstrapping our way through this mortal existence is, simply put, exhausting. Having to rely upon ourselves, and usually with minimal resources and supports at hand, it's easy to burn out of any situation. But we aren't alone. Sometimes, it takes looking beyond our own limited understanding of how we are supposed to accomplish a given thing. Or we have to look a little harder to find those who are ready to assist with life's difficulties.

Recently, following the loss of Launchpeer's support service due to their bankruptcy last month, I have had to redefine what my support system looks like. Who is there for me? How do I best go about reaching out for their support? Will they still be there when things get really hard?

The answer has been mixed: some yeses, and some nos, in their various ways. But what has remained true is that there are people out there who support. Like Mr Rogers used to say, "Look for the helpers... they're always there." They may just appear in ways we don't expect. 

Stay strong out there in the world, y'all! We know it's not a safe place, but through connection to one another, to our communities, we can and will make a life worth living for ourselves and one another. It just takes a community of practice.