My Social Circle".
My social strata is a bit of a mosaic made up of those who constitute the ground (or I suppose me) of my daily life; constructed in stages over different times, places, and 'digital' regions of the world I now live in. Framed by the history I have with such people as my close friends & family since I was born, my reliable and solid crew from years of studying at the university, and my taken-for-granted digital pals of who I now see through the lens of online-ness, blogging at each other in the same community spaces, & collaborating on various works.
Looking back at the times that I have been overwhelmed, under pressure and vulnerable my answer will be a big YES- yes, I felt the assurance of someone to borrow shoulders to carry when the going was tough and it was simply too much to bear. When I was too overwhelmed by heavy academic work, constant assessment portfolios, and the complicated mechanical vehicle repairs with the painful and boring trip to a specialized auto workshop in Abuja, a reliable aide had volunteers in a flash to play the role of the travel-buddy, listener and sounding-board. That is the friend that is glad to carry your baggage when you are going through life's rough patch and are not sure of the direction.
However, my social circles have also required intentional boundaries, and the answer to that also is a resounding yes! In my experiences, protecting your own head space, progress and purpose requires boundaries with sources of draining energy, negative attitudes or relationships that do not promote reciprocal respect and flourish. I learned the lesson of discernment that not every relationship is meant to be long term, and releasing those who no longer sing in the same hymn as the rest of your life's orchestra is never a failure. Separating from those who do not line up with your true anthem allows space for those who do.
Thanks for reading my post I'm inviting @chant, @mesola, and @m-fdo to participate.