Speed? Nahhh : Small Steps, Stronger Souls

 Nina is a woman veteran who now works in a military hospital, helping people injured in wars learn to walk again, breathe calmly, and do everyday things. 

She often tells them, 

“We go at your speed.”

One day, a letter about her own report arrives: 

“Not enough details.” It feels heavy, but Nina doesn’t give up. She squeezes her pocket stone (a smooth rock that helps her stay calm) and texts her friends: “Roll call?” That means 

“Are my helpers here?” Five hearts reply: We’re here.

That night Nina does three small things that make her stronger: she smells a peeled orange, walks her dog under the gate lights, and breathes in 1-2-3-4, out 1-2-3-4-5-6 until her chest feels lighter.

At work, she helps a young soldier whose leg shakes. “You don’t have to tell the whole story today,” she says. “You get to choose the order.” His shaking slows. Hope takes one careful step.

Nina tries again with names and dates and brings a friend for support. On the bus home, she texts: “Soup night?” (a simple dinner where no one feels alone). Her phone buzzes: “Always.”

Moral _The Solution

• Start with safety and use choice about what to share.

• Ground yourself: deep breaths, mindfulness, or use senses like holding an ice cube or smelling a tangerine.

• Do networking: build allies, ask for help, and support others.

• Persist: keep trying, with small daily steps.

Where attention fails and empathy fades, humanity among humans has no chance