I always forget that not everybody had a Buddhist hippie uncle and aunt doing lessons with them on the weekend.

My cousins and I will randomly say, “What is (Uncle’s) number one rule?”

And everyone present will chant a phrase thst would dox me, that boils down to “don’t help the police!”

We can all play a part. Mutual aid means using whatever you bring to the table. If you can, think of it like a video game or a tabletop game. I look like I do and made a lifelong practice of learning how to talk to people. Now I have a high diplomacy check (and sense motive.) My boyfriend spent most of his life in the military, and his capacity for violence makes him the barbarian. Together, we are prepared to help in many, many more ways than either of us could ever do alone.

And the bigger your circle, the more situations you’re prepared for! If you haven’t yet, take an honest assessment of your skills. Figure out how you can most help others. You don’t have to be an S rank talker or violencer, you can be bad at the skill you pick! The important thing is to pick the skill, *then work on it. *

Even if you don’t have a circle, if you’re all alone, you can be preparing yourself to help others who need it. You are valued. You are loved, even if you don’t know it, even if it’s easy to feel like you’re not. And when you eventually find your tribe, or when your tribe is being attacked, having skills to help others and yourself is the best thing you can do.