Q – When you ask for/need support, do you have your ‘go-to crew’?

In the past few years, we’ve certainly been in a situation that only comes along every century. So it’s no shame when we need help.

• We were instantly in need of extra money in our budgets to cover what seemed like incidentals at the beginning. But they have been shown to be life savers. (masks, tests, delivery services for groceries or other goods), babysitters because our kids can’t always go to school or daycare. Did you have it? Did you need to borrow from friends or family more often?
• When there was a lockdown, did you need things you couldn’t run for? Who did you ask to borrow things from? Knowing they might be low themselves?
• Did you change habits like buying used or making at home instead of getting new all the time? Did you ask friends or family if they had clothes their kids had grown out of to let your kids wear?
• Were your friends and family willing to wear masks when they came over to your house or you went to theirs?
• What about just having a person on the phone or zoom when you were low/lonely and needed a chat?
• How did you handle things like wanting a cuddle? Or a date? Sex partner? If you were single?
• Have things gotten easier or harder over time in getting the support you need?

Call it mutual aid or just support, it is necessary to life. And it makes it hard when people aren’t willing to keep giving what you need, when it’s gone on so long. But you still need what you’re asking for.

I hope you’re ok, And I hope you continue to be so. Because much as we may want it to be, it’s not over yet.