For those of us foreseeing that "things are going to get very bad," Sherrilynn Ifill offers some valuable pragmatic tips about surviving

lolonurse

@wdlindsy
I've always had a lot of respect for her (although her cousin Gwen was my favorite). (& long ago, I had a professional colleague who was a cousin of theirs). But it seems to me that successful immigrants & their kids can be a bit harsh, or maybe not quite understanding of poor Americans. I saw it in my family- "just work hard, apply yourself, don't slack off"... they'd be horrified (not so much sympathetic) if they could see me now!

MoiraEve

@wdlindsy Taking a walk w/ your friends is one of the best things you can do right now!

William Lindsey :toad:

@MoiraEve I very much agree. Great therapy — both physical and mental.

William Lindsey :toad:

@lolonurse Yes, I loved Gwen Ifill — and didn't know how they were connected, though I knew there was a connection. Thanks for explaining it to me. I do think something that people from long-oppressed communities understand — from experience — is that it takes more than an individual to make it through hard times. And I do think this is the background behind her counsel to put some money aside. A little story to illustrate my point: my brother has only days to live. He's in Brooklyn.

/1

William Lindsey :toad:

@lolonurse I'm in Little Rock, of course. I'm not planning to go to NY, because he has a large circle of family members and friends around him, and I feel I'd be in the way — and, honestly, not too welcome. Our relationship has long been strained.

But friends of mine, an African-American couple, who heard about my brother called me on the weekend and said that they wanted to give me money to fly to NY if I chose to do that. I was deeply touched. I have money for the flight, if I chose to go.
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William Lindsey :toad:

@lolonurse As I say, I'm not going to go. We call my brother and talk to him every day that he's willing to answer to the phone, so I'm in touch. And I'm, needless to say, concerned, grieving, connected heart to heart even though I'm not there physically.

But my point: embedded in my friends' African-American experience is that very practical impulse to assist people in the way they need assistance at the time they need it. These are people who grew up poor, too.

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William Lindsey :toad:

@Nonya_Bidniss Yes, some folks don't realize how recently it was — 1930s — that some Americans were actually hungry. My grandmother was widowed in 1930, left with six children of her own and a step-son to raise, and hardly any money. Fortunately, she inherited my grandfather's store in a small town, so she was able to scrape by and feed her family, with a big garden, a milk cow, a hog, and chickens to help keep food on the table. But others in her town were hungry.

/1

William Lindsey :toad:

@Nonya_Bidniss When she found a neighbor child had eaten only an onion in an entire day — her family had nothing else — she began feeding that little girl. Her brother on a small farm down the highway, with many children of his own to feed, learned that a neighboring family did not have enough food for its children, and he made a point of feeding those children, two of whom grew up to be well-known country-music stars. People got by by helping each other.

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Nonya Bidniss :CIAverified:

@wdlindsy One might say "hyperlocal" aid organizing. I follow some people who are doing various neighborhood efforts like community fridges and pantries. Learning how to do hydroponic gardening. Stuff like that. When you don't know how unstable the future is it's good to be prepared with like-minded people nearby.

MoiraEve

@wdlindsy Curious--is the public library donation tax-deductible?

William Lindsey :toad:

@MoiraEve I think it must be. I don't fill out my tax forms, I have to admit. My spouse does that, and then takes them to a tax person for a final verification and to file them — so I'm woefully uneducated about those matters.

William Lindsey :toad:

@Nonya_Bidniss Yes, that makes much sense to me.

lolonurse

@wdlindsy
(I'm sorry to hear this)

lolonurse

@wdlindsy
I remember you telling me about your relationship with your brother. Unfortunately, as you know, I can relate.
What a splendid, warm gesture from your friends. Friends like that are precious and so rare.

lolonurse

@wdlindsy
Yes, some people really do live their beliefs. It's heart-warming. It seems to me that many of the people who reach out to help others are members of a "community", whether a church, a neighborhood, firefighters, etc. It seems to grow hearts.

William Lindsey :toad:

@lolonurse Yes. And lots of empirical evidence shows that people at the bottom of the economic pyramid give proportionately much more out of what they have than those at the top give.

William Lindsey :toad:

@lolonurse Yes, I'm deeply touched. When my husband and I were finally permitted to marry in 2014, those same friends organized a large celebration for us, spending lots of money hiring a first-rate band, having invitations designed and cut. Really good people.

William Lindsey :toad:

@lolonurse Thank you. Heavy days right now, especially for my brother, whose suffering is intense but who remains very brave through it all.

lolonurse

@wdlindsy
Tell them a total stranger thinks they're wonderful!

lolonurse

@wdlindsy
Is he on hospice? I can't understand anyone being allowed to suffer through their last days. When my mom was dying, the SOB surgeon denied her pain meds "she could become addicted"... WTF? She's dying! But that was 45 years ago. Pain management has become more humane. Unless his is just not touchable. Then my heart cries for him. (I'm a bit of a nurse crusader, as you can tell.) ️‍🩹