I’ve done my fair share of tweeting (eh, venting) recently.  The constant struggle of survival with chronic illness is a challenge only truly appreciated by those who live it, day in and day out, for decades.  We never get time off, and our feelings and exhaustion are valid.  Add a pandemic to that, and the Covid reverberations amplify this specific pain.  But, it’s not all about me.

As for here, on this blog, right now, I am all about listening.  I can never write a blog post that says I truly know how it feels.  I acknowledge that privilege, often dictated by zip code at birth, has affected my life and its opportunities.  Although I empathize with their struggles, I would not purport to know exactly what others go through, as influenced by lenses of psychology,  disease, war, socioeconomics, race, lived experience, and so much more.  Frankly, we only know our own stories best, and it is a disservice to others when we claim, via logical fallacy, to represent everyone.  The current headlines are an example of why.

I simply want to write a note here saying that I am listening, and I hear you.  In the niche example of the diabetes world, the ripple effects of Covid-19, racism, and healthcare, combined, are a costly threat.  Our society snuffs out its promising people by these intertwined inequities by design.  The voices of those affected the most should guide our way as our world demands change now.

 

Much love,

Ally