Today I had an unexpected, lovely conversation with a colleague from another organization. We both have day jobs that require an exceptional amount of empathy, commitment and fortitude. Today our paths crossed as we were both attempting to tackle an insurmountable task. Although this task weighed heavy on our plates, the timing was right for both of us to take a moment out of our full day and share a bit of our own reality with each other.
I'm not sure why this particular moment on this particular day became a chance for both of us to be surprisingly and unapologetically real. I suspect that we have both seen our fair share of challenging times while working jobs that require us to remain empathetic, professional problem solvers. "Bleeding hearts", some might call us--juggling struggles of inequity and bad luck, all the while attempting to offer hope and healing in turbulent times. Doggedly seeking out solutions both large and small to ease the way of our clients, our family, our friends.
During this time of the COVID-19 pandemic, when so many of us feel our day-to-day world shrinking exponentially in relation to the deepening threats of impending physical, financial and psychological, and political catastrophes, my conversation with a like-minded colleague whom I have never met, seemed to lift 20 lbs of weight off my shoulders. I felt the weight lift off my shoulders because I took a the time to simply acknowledge that it was there. Instead of going about my day, rushing around, convincing myself that somehow my diligence to working hard and relentlessly might possibly fix a world currently tipped far from the favor of mother luck, I felt my world widen a bit just by admitting that we are currently living in an impossible situation.