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Cate Denial's avatar

My friend left academia, and is opening up a jam store. She makes the most exquisite jams - raspberry-lavender; blood orange and amaretto; peach cardamom, so many more - and has sold them at the farmer's market for six years. Now she has an actual storefront, and it's become a community event - friends have painted the walls; her husband has installed all the shelves and a gorgeous counter; I'm working this weekend on the window displays; we're hanging art. Every time I hear a new update about the store I'm reminded of how amazing it is that a) she's brought us all together and b) is doing this brave thing that is so fun and c) how much I love being part of it. <3

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Erica from Arlington's avatar

I'm in a stepmom Discord. We are scattered across North America, but some of us have met in person a few times and we talk to each other daily. One stepmom's 4-year-old daughter was diagnosed with cancer in January, and they've spent many days and nights at the hospital since then. She and her family are local to me.

Mindful that "let me know if there's anything I can do" is just one more burden for the person you say that to, I just Did Some Stuff.

- offered my house, 20 min from the hospital, as a landing pad if anyone in the family ever needs it

- said "you can drop your laundry on my porch anytime" (I'm sort of on their way to the hospital)

- prepped a bunch of freezer meals and dropped them off

- rallied the stepmom Discord and volunteered to be the Receiving House for gifts that people were tripping over themselves to send (one stepmom's mom made and sent a GORGEOUS quilt!) -- then delivered gifts on a staggered cadence so we didn't overwhelm the family

- stopped by one night when my friend was "on duty" at the hospital and brought dinner

- donated to her husband's annual charity ride

Things seem to be going okay. They have support and resources and money and the best medical care. It's still awful, like a weird nightmare that has now become normal, and I say that even as, like, a tertiary-level acquaintance of the family. I can't imagine what it's like for them. I keep saying to myself, "I can't do a lot, but I can do this."

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