“I had some help”
- Post Malone, I Had Some Help
Last year a friend of mine was diagnosed with cancer. Our group of friends immediately mobilized to action. Those of us with sons the same age as her son arranged play dates and basement Nintendo tournaments. Those of us with daughters the same age as her daughter helped with shopping and driving to and from sports. A friend who owns a salon colored and styled her hair as it grew back from chemo treatments. We did their family’s laundry; we cleaned their house. We sat and had drinks with her and recounted stories of girls nights, girls trips, and family get-togethers.
The community embraced them and provided support, and we all know that we would step in and do this for any one of us. We have a text group where anyone can ask for help anytime, whether it’s for help with something specific, such as driving kids, or just conversation. It just made me think how much we all need each other to thrive, and how much more powerful a community is than an individual. “It takes a village” as they say.
All the living things in a lake need each other to thrive as well. A lake’s ecosystem contains primary producers such as algae and plants that harness the sun’s energy to grow. These plants provide shade and hiding spots for fish, crayfish, and bugs. They also provide food for ducks, turtles, and invertebrates. The tiny creatures in the lake, such as invertebrates and minnows, are food for the larger creatures such as walleye, muskies, and eagles. The lake’s ecosystem is a community that relies on each other and is stronger together. To catch that trophy walleye, it takes the full lake ecosystem working as a community. Alone, each species would not thrive.
I am grateful to have a community that supports each other, because we all need it at different times in our lives. It’s the showing up that matters, whether words are needed, or just loving silence.
Moriya Rufer is a water quality professional with 20 years experience working with lakes in northern Minnesota.
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