We all know that we need others to help us in our work and lives, especially when times are stressful. In the Genesis creation narratives, God creates humanity to exist in community. Relationships are so important, the observation “It’s not good for a human to be alone” is recorded as sacred scripture.
Yet too often, we don’t have communities of support prepared for when stressful times hit, or don’t activate those communities when we need them. To buffer against withdrawal that can add to a sense of loneliness and isolation, map out your community of support, your “people,” and keep this list on hand for when you need extra support. Sometimes even just seeing the community of saints and potential support can be helpful; keep it somewhere you can readily access it, such as your journal or a note-taking app on your phone.
