“The Radius of My Circle”

I so appreciated when a friend said, “I’m not always sure I know what to do. I know I can care for the radius of my circle, but…”

I really appreciated that language: Care for the Radius of My Circle.

Even if we’ve used different language, I think so many of us have had this feeling before. Or maybe we have it now. We can care for the people around us, but is it enough to affect change?

Yes, no doubt, we need bigger, systems-wide change in this country. We need large, massive changes in a variety of areas to impact true justice, peace, and safety. But I also wonder… is there any other way to enact change — or at the very least, start it? And is there any better change than to care for “the radius of my circle”?

That larger work to change systems is “care for the radius of my circle,” especially and most directly for those around us who need these changes. But also, care changes things — purposeful intention, support, sharing of resources, offering time, listening, physical aid, emotional connection, meaning-making, mental health check-ins, financial sharing, meals, accompaniment, and companionship. The list goes on.

And it matters. And it has impacts. And it changes things.

This is a huge contribution toward the world we want to build.

–Renee Roederer