All people in this world have needs that are particular to themselves.
Every person.
And
All people and all communities have unique and particular strengths to share.
Every person, every community.
I’m not sure if we can ever truly run from need, because human need is one of the most honest and real things about us all. But we definitely try. There may be a number of reasons for this. Among them, we’ve internalized lot of cultural narratives about individualism, self-sufficiency, and the belief that we must produce and earn love and belonging. (Psst, those are myths. Dangerous myths).
But those cultural narratives take form in our thoughts and feelings…
“I’m a burden.”
“I’m too much.”
“I don’t want to over-ask.”
“I don’t want to trouble.”
“They’re going to get tired of me.”
“I can’t voice this.”
Soon we’re speaking narratives about ourselves, and we run from our need and from one another. But again,
All people in this world have needs that are particular to themselves.
Every person.
And
All people and all communities have unique and particular strengths to share.
Every person, every community.
There is no shame in any of this. We can embrace these parts of ourselves. We can share these parts of ourselves. We can love these parts of ourselves.
Need away, friends. Welcome to humanity!
— Renee Roederer
Smuggling Grace 