Fabric of humanity

We humans are tribal, forming groups to survive. We build small towns and big cities, and improve ourselves with education. We communicate with other tribes when it suits us. We have established social norms of behavior. We follow these rules from birth to death, trusting our tribe. For the most part it works.

There have always been innovators among us, the ones who rock the boat and bring changes. Travel by horses became vehicles with horsepower. Rigid conformity was forced to make room for civil rights. We are on edge when changes happen, but it became pretty nice to be able to cross the country in a few hours’ plane ride, rather than in a covered wagon for a few weeks or months.

Society thrives on a blend of routine work and changes brought by innovative twists in the road. What about the twists that change us? Life changes in an instant. A new baby is home, healthy in every way, until you notice that one or two normal milestones are missing. One day it becomes crystal clear that something unexpected is going on. One day a person is becoming an adult, living their best life. The next, an accident, virus, bad luck takes away some self care abilities.

You are now a caregiver.

You now need care.

Historically, troubles have been a family thing, self-contained, or with help from one’s church community. Sometimes, the “trouble” was something to be shunned. Isolating “abnormal” people from “normal” ones. Isolation can still happen to any of us. Even with many support options…