I’ve had such an incredible amount of support over the last few days, that even though
yes, I am overwhelmed, and
yes, I failed in an important endeavor (getting a book done for someone who gave me an opportunity), and
yes, I am exhausted, and
yes, I am anxious,
I am so very grateful that when I asked for help, the people I turned to were responsive and caring, and more people reached out to extend an offer of assistance. One person in particular wrote me the most beautiful email of encouragement this morning, out of the blue.
Finally, tonight, when I caught my breath and had a moment to write back, I told her,
“Facing the day was pretty overwhelming at the start, but when I read this message I felt a resurgence of energy and commitment and enthusiasm. It made a huge difference, and I feel very blessed. Thank you.”
Over breakfast I watched the “This is Water” film based on David Foster Wallace’s 2005 commencement speech. (I’d include a link, but his library has been removing the film. Try to find it. It’s definitely worth ten minutes of viewing time.) And along with the sweet email from my friend, it made me think how very much we need each other, and we need to be good to each other. Simple kindnesses make such a profound difference.
