What do you need? What will bring you comfort?

What do you need? What will bring you comfort?

As a wife and mother, I try to be there for my family in the way they need me in the moment. When I was teaching, I would try to do the same for my students.

Now I think, what can I do for the people in my community? How can I offer comfort? What can I do so they feel seen, loved, and cared for?

And…

What can I do for myself? How can I ask for comfort when I need it?

Recently, I had a conversation with my daughter about an issue she was having with her friends. She told me her friends were worried about her because she hadn’t seemed to be herself lately. She said she had been distant with them because she felt like she was always there for her friends, but when she needed them, they weren’t there for her.

“I listen to them, and I help them, but no one is there for me.”

My response to her was, “Have you told them? Have you told them you need them?” Like my daughter, this is something I’ve never been good at doing for myself either, asking for help.

It has always been easier for me to be there for others than to ask for myself. I’m sure there are many of you who feel the same. It’s not easy. We just hope someone will just know.

There is so much noise surrounding us right now and many of us are feeling big emotions because of it. It is a reminder for me that people can’t always read our thoughts. They may not know we need comfort.

So, I wonder…

How can you take care of you?  How can you let others know what you need? How to comfort you? Be there for you?

As we live through this moment where diversity, equity, and inclusion are being pulled back, let’s not forget about the person that’s being affected by this or the communities that are feeling not seen, heard, scared or are feeling lonely.

We need to show compassion towards each other. We need to feel comfortable asking for someone to listen, sit quietly by our side, share a hug or a hand to hold.

When I was in the classroom, I spent every day teaching my students about kindness and compassion. Unfortunately, our current administration is not leading with that example. They are modeling anger and hatred or the blame game. There is no love, compassion or kindness being offered.

Despite all the material that is seen in the news or read on social platforms, how can we care for ourselves and each other?

Take a moment, ask yourself what do you need to care for yourself and ask for it? When you see a neighbor, a friend, or a family member take a moment…look at them and ask, ‘what do you need?’ or ‘how can I be there for you?’

I believe that kindness and compassion will rise, it will always prevail. Love above all else. And remember, as I always told my little ones when they were feeling sad, I have a mommy hug for that.

With love and light,

Wendy