What foster kids have taught me about surviving uncertainty…

Dec 30, 2020

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A brief comic on lessons learned about living life in limbo from folks who’ve had to do it before.

As long months of pandemic bleed into a new year, many of us are dealing with upheaval on a level we’ve never known.

But for one group among us, this type of chaos is nothing new. Every day on average, > 600 kids enter U.S. foster care.

After >3 years fostering, I’m still learning to live with limbo, and the kids have taught me lots about surviving uncertainty

#1. Surviving in a new world requires figuring out who is safe and learning how to let them into your circle.

#2. It’s ok to hold on to your memories of the way life was before.

#3. It’s ok to fall in love with some aspects of the new world you inhabit.

#4. When your whole universe seems to be falling apart, almost nothing beats your favorite food.

#5. Being indefinitely separated from those you love means even brief moments of connection matter more than ever.

#6. If you sometimes lose your mind and act out, it may mean your hurting, but it doesn’t mean that you’re broken.

#7. It’s tempting to think of this period of uncertainty as a black hole in life, we’re still growing and making memories.

Nathan A. Gray, 2020

nathan gray

Written by nathan gray

Doctor + Cartoonist living in Durham, NC. Husband, Foster Dad, Pup Parent. More at inkvessel.com Twitter: @NathanAGray

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