Member-only story
Caretaking in the Shadows (and What It Cost Me)
What I’ve learned about reclaiming time, energy, and a voice I almost forgot was mine
So, last Sunday, I woke up to discover that a Facebook group I’d helped moderate for a long time — one I’d been in the habit of checking in on multiple times a day every day for the better part of a couple of years — was just… gone. No warning. No real explanation. No dramatic collapse or argument.
Facebook had apparently simply deactivated it for offenses that absolutely did not apply (probably thanks to haters or Meta’s own overzealous bots). And just like that, it was gone like a fart in the wind.
I’d watched that group evolve from a niche little haven for generative AI image enthusiasts and early adopters into something much bigger. And while I wasn’t the owner or founder, I’d long since become one of its primary anchors — someone who helped hold space, set the tone, look out for others, and keep things running smoothly.
I didn’t take that role on for applause or because I thought it would get me anywhere. I did it because I was really grateful to the group’s owner for giving me a place to explore new technology I was excited about at the time, and I wanted to give him something back in return.
