Good Neighbor

There's been a lot of talk about being a good neighbor in this time of altered social dynamics.

Just remember to carry that love on after all this ends......

There are a lot of us out there - many single parents - who have to wade through this hot mess of logistics EVERY.SINGLE.DAY.

And we don't get help from our friends or families - we just soldier through it. Tough shit to you says society, and we just have to make a way.

I'm blessed that the DxH and his mom are right here and make a way every time something comes up to be there for the Wondertwins when my work gets crazy.

However, should something catastrophic happen to me they are the ONLY ones I could count on to help me take care of things in my life (and I know they would even after the WTs are out of the house in college). The feelings there are mutual, as I would drop everything and be there for them as needed should something happen there.

(For those who give me grief on why I would expect a life partner to understand, respect, and try to fit somewhat into my functional dysfunction with the DxH and his whole family - THIS is a major reason why.....I will NOT destroy the dynamic and love that still remains with who I consider family and my support...y'all can kindly go fuck off ......*end side rant*)

They are my only safety net of resources which is sobering and heartbreaking at the same time. But, I have a net I can count on.

But that's not everyone's situation - and I know that intimately as I try to step in whenever I physically can with my packed schedule to help where the holes are found, even though my opportunities are slim.

No one really cares what it takes to make it day to day when you're down to $12/week for food for a family of 3 so you're not pulling from savings to pay for the daily essentials. Get another job they'll tell you, when you're already working a job on call 24/7 and you have only a couple hours a day already with your children.

No one bats an eye when you say you have no one to watch a sick child because one day of unpaid leave can keep you from making rent or a utility payment. Suck it up and you should have made better choices originally.

Well, sorry about your luck, to those who have to live with transportation delays (South Bend Schools, I'm looking at you) and miss work or find out your child is stranded and can't get home or to some kind of programming. Well, this is why you should have three people on call to get your child at any moment......

Many soldier day to day through this, and many other majorly disruptive situations, without others around them caring about what it takes to do so.

Forgive us if we seem crass about it - we've been told to make it on our own without help from Day 1. You can step up and do it too, for a few weeks - just ask us how we've handled it for YEARS now.

You might get some insight and some tricks for making life work. You will also find out just how isolated many around you have been while you carried on as a non-caring neighbor.

Just make sure all the offers and willingness you're open to doing in this time of a few weeks of flattening the curve behavior extends forever afterwards. You'd be surprised how many around you could use the assistance if you just open your eyes and hearts.

If we're willing to create safety nets of care and support for our most vulnerable now - make sure to redefine 'most vulnerable' afterwards and carry on what we consider being good, loving neighbors.

©Kristen Garcia 04-2020