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WELLNESS | HEALTH | LIVELIHOOD
Navigating an Unrelatable Life
A long winter’s journey in short essay
It is finally fifty something degrees Fahrenheit outside and I can see blue sky between the clouds. We will walk to the library this afternoon, before the rain comes.
It has been a long winter for us. The deep cold was really just a brief couple of months, but it feels longer when you use public transit to get to work.
We have relied heavily on my car to get to medical appointments since late last summer. However, at the beginning of winter, we learned there was a major recall on the car. I tried not to drive it unless necessary. Eventually, I got it to the shop. They addressed the issue and the stress of it all lifted. But for a moment, it was uncertain whether I would be able to repair the vehicle at all. So I conserved the miles and walked when I could, regardless of freezing weather.
I do enjoy wearing my deep winter hat and coat. I have good tundra gear.
But upon returning to work after several months of family medical leave, I realized that people have no idea how to relate to me. I expected people would at the very least be kind, but many have been unkind — even callous — catching me off guard. Kindness is really the only thing I ask for, I…
