8/25/21
by Charlie Mackesy.
In scrolling through FB this morning, I came across a post by a fellow physician mama, in which she acknowledged she is not ok. She is struggling. And she’s sitting in the all the feelings, allowing them to wash over her, the bad, the hurt, the disgust, the anger, the hopelessness.
Allowing, admitting & acknowledging that she’s not ok. And at the same time, that she realizes she has control over her thoughts, & that some days it’s ok to just sit in those thoughts that may not best serve – but that are part of us too.
That feelings are just that: feelings. And that those feelings do not determine your self worth.
For as she states: “You are good and worthy and valuable and lovable—every which way, and every day.”
It’s ok to not be ok, & to acknowledge & feel all the feels.
Frankly, I think we’re all struggling right now.
Trying to wrap our heads around how & why we all try so hard, trust each other, science, our colleagues, go the extra mile, FIND & CREATE SOLUTIONS – safe, effective vaccines, masks to help protect – yet it’s still not enough for some – the conspiracy theorists, the non-believers, the disinformation spreaders.
To think where we might be right now if past leadership had instilled hope & trust, rather than blatant denial & division.
Yet, what’s happened, happened.
So we move forward. We regroup. We stick together. We work together. We press on, continue advocating, spreading awareness, & having conversations, one starfish at a time.
We cry. We rant. We’re exhausted.
Sometimes we just want to give up.
Yet we know in our hearts that the light continues to shine – dimly at times, but has yet to go out.
Because we have each other. We’re part of the same tribe.
We are badass women physicians that get it.
We understand each other.
The sacrifice, the joy, the struggle, the accomplishments, the loss, the wins.
Together we are powerful.
We are a force. We are a force for change.
We have each other. We have each other’s backs.
We believe. And that is why we will prevail, together, by lifting, listening, holding space, crying, encouraging, & creating a world in which we can not only survive, but thrive.
So it’s ok to not be ok, because we have each other.
We’ve got you now, & when we’re in need, my bet is that you’ll have us too. ❤️
Photo by Jill Keagy, one of my forever friends.