Helping Each Other
Many, many thanks to those who responded to my request for help in making next month's rent and my very minimal living expenses. I now have just enough to cover the basics, so the cats and I are all right for the next little while. ("All right" is a strictly comparative term nowadays.)
If you can -- and I realize that times are very hard for many of us -- I urge you to send something here, too. Two people and four wonderful dogs badly need some help. In looking over the donations I've received over the last few days, I realized that I could send a little bit myself, so I did. I hope that doesn't upset anyone who sent me a donation, but I couldn't read that post and not send something if I possibly could. I decided I could, so I did.
I worry about not being able to pay rent and facing eviction and homelessness every single month. It takes a terrible toll. I've stopped trying to figure out exactly what it's done to me emotionally and psychologically; at this point, I'm probably better off not knowing the details of the damage. Just as I realized a few years ago that, given my seriously deteriorating health and my inability to get medical care, I couldn't remember what it was like to feel "normal" physically, I realize that I have no idea what it's like to feel "normal" about most other fundamental aspects of my life (feeling secure in a home, knowing that money for food will be there next week and next month, and so on).
And what is "normal" in these times, anyway? For more and more people, it's what Sasha and I go through. This is normal.
Awful doesn't begin to describe that terrible fact. What is additionally awful is that for untold millions of Americans, this has always been normal. (And for especially disfavored Americans, this is normal on a good day.)
Well, please do what you can. I absolutely believe we must help each other to whatever extent we can, and perhaps even when it seems we can't. No one else is going to.
My deepest gratitude once again to all of you who are so wonderfully kind and generous.
If you can -- and I realize that times are very hard for many of us -- I urge you to send something here, too. Two people and four wonderful dogs badly need some help. In looking over the donations I've received over the last few days, I realized that I could send a little bit myself, so I did. I hope that doesn't upset anyone who sent me a donation, but I couldn't read that post and not send something if I possibly could. I decided I could, so I did.
I worry about not being able to pay rent and facing eviction and homelessness every single month. It takes a terrible toll. I've stopped trying to figure out exactly what it's done to me emotionally and psychologically; at this point, I'm probably better off not knowing the details of the damage. Just as I realized a few years ago that, given my seriously deteriorating health and my inability to get medical care, I couldn't remember what it was like to feel "normal" physically, I realize that I have no idea what it's like to feel "normal" about most other fundamental aspects of my life (feeling secure in a home, knowing that money for food will be there next week and next month, and so on).
And what is "normal" in these times, anyway? For more and more people, it's what Sasha and I go through. This is normal.
Awful doesn't begin to describe that terrible fact. What is additionally awful is that for untold millions of Americans, this has always been normal. (And for especially disfavored Americans, this is normal on a good day.)
Well, please do what you can. I absolutely believe we must help each other to whatever extent we can, and perhaps even when it seems we can't. No one else is going to.
My deepest gratitude once again to all of you who are so wonderfully kind and generous.
posted by Arthur Silber at 8:14 AM
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