I'm Maggie Smith, and this is The Slowdown.

It can be so difficult to ask for what you need from the people in your life, especially

when you're lonely or anxious or depressed.

You might not even know exactly what you need from loved ones or what would make you feel better. If you're

lucky, you have friends who might sense the shift in your emotional weather, the clouds rolling

in, the sky darkening. If you're very lucky, those friends might know what to do without being asked or

prompted. They might come over with takeout and offer a listening ear. They might pick you up and take you to the

movies or to a concert to get you out of your bubble.

Or maybe they come over and just simply exist with you.

Maybe sitting next to you.

Maybe watching TV.

Maybe not talking at all.

All without expecting you to be cheerful or even sociable.

Their presence is calming in itself, their unconditional love and acceptance, even when you're not sparkling.

Feeling supported by your friends can be extra challenging when

they live far from you. They might notice something is off via text or a phone call or from a lack of

response, but they aren't around to see how you're really doing.

A text, a call, or a FaceTime can be just what you need.

The point is showing up and being there, even from afar.

But when friends go the extra mile, literally, and travel to you or invite you to visit them,

it's such a warm, comforting feeling. You know you matter. Today's poem speaks to the way

we show up for our friends when they need us, and the ways we can be

...