Hey there,
You matter.
Your values matter.
Your compassion matters.
Your work matters.
You—
all of you—
every identity,
every commitment,
every wholehearted form of community belonging—
You, the whole you,
You matter.
One of my most beloved people has stage 4 cancer. And yet, with gratitude, he continues to live well with it, seven years after that diagnosis. I’ve heard him say this many times:
“I wouldn’t wish this cancer on anyone, not even my worst enemy. But I do wish every person I know had the opportunity to experience what it feels like to have your community catch you.”
Whether you’re catching your community or being caught and upheld by it (I deeply hope it’s both), may you know that these acts of belonging, commitment, and care matter.
We’ve got each other.
We’ve got you.
— Renee Roederer
Smuggling Grace 