In times of crisis and transition, it's all about the basics
The feeding and nurturing, the healing, the bathing and clothing of bodies,
Think about birth
After the bloody and the awkward and the spontaneous miracle of it all
The mother and the baby come home and the world of 2 revolves around these basics
Think about illness
The rest and refilling our bodies require of us, the way we have to stop pretending we can do it alone and we accept the help and care of others
Think about loss and grief
Care baked into casseroles and offers of “how can I help?” fill in the gaps on the days that the basics are tough
People don't know to what say, mainly because there really is nothing to say
so they come and sit, just a simple offering of presence
We learn after all these these events to put one foot in front of another
We relearn what it means to care for ourselves
Like that little baby who first rolls over, then sits up, then pushes up on all fours, then stands and eventually lets go of whatever is steadying her and toddles a few steps as she builds her muscles, then eventually she runs. And we can't catch her, and we can't believe the amazing things she learns to do.
All because of the basics
We can over complicate, over simplify them too
Some days we don’t need as much
Some days its all we can do
But on days like today it can’t be forgotten
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