A couple of nights ago a dinner out with friends ended abruptly as everyone needed to get home to watch The Pitt. I loved it; handbags grabbed, coats flung on, bill paid, out we raced. It has been a long time since I cared about a series that much, or watched it on the night it was released. This Is Us might be the last show I can remember that made a weeknight non-negotiable for me. We are in human, world and climate chaos and this little cameo of an emergency room in a fictitious city has reached out of the mayhem and grabbed us by the heart.

Here are some coping tools I have deployed to combat daily heart plummets: reading, early and late, not screens. Good food, simply made, no shortcuts if possible, centering myself on the cooking and prepping task. Treats, recently I opened a tremendous bar of chocolate gifted to me, Blanxart, and have been wedging a piece into a few inches of fresh baguette with my tea in the afternoon. The French call it ‘le goûter’ and it elevates the slump in a big way. Kindness, to self and others. And if they can’t be kind back, letting it go. And most importantly, talking, seeing and being with my family including extended family as much as they can stand. Go outside. Every coping mechanism makes me feel better.

Why have so many of us been captured by The Pitt? To me, each episode feels like a mirror of our current existence. Realistic often frayed and flawed humans doing their job, taking care of all sorts of situations in extreme crisis. The script writes in skill, compassion and humility along with and a lot of blood, disaster and sadness, red eyes, tired bodies and constantly broken hearts. From the people who clean up the mess to the surgeons they give it their all. And when I think, after each show, what were those writers thinking I know they didn’t have to think very hard: this is an actual microcosm of the world right now.

I know! I am talking about an HBOMax TV show! How did this happen.

Because what has grabbed me is how their efforts, hard and bitter and beautiful, build foundations for hope. And I need to do this too, fiercely, no matter now hard and imperfect my single and imperfect efforts feel.

Exhale. Inhale. Eyes wide open. Witness. VOTE. Every one counts. Talk with a neighbor. Talk to a stranger. Hug your people. Make hope happen.

Bear. Taking a break.