Spending time surrounded by diabetes can be overwhelming and that is never more so than at a conference like ADA. It is huge – there are thousands and thousands of people, an exhibition hall with stands from device and pharma companies that messages about diabetes that are all tied up in statistics and words (and not really about people), and for every talk that shares hope and promise, others that focus on despair.

But it’s easy to step away from that – even if just for a moment – and turn to a member of your tribe. Because then…

…not once did I feel despair.

…not once did anyone pass judgement about another’s diabetes.

…not once did anyone make me feel afraid.

…not once did anyone attribute blame or shame.

…not once was anyone expected to explain themselves.

…not once did I feel stigma.

…not once were the words spoken anything other than real and authentic.

…not once did someone ask another person about their glucose level or A1c.

…not once did someone suggest that anything to do with diabetes was someone’s fault.

…not once did I feel overwhelmed or overcome.

…not once did someone make me feel that I was not enough.

…not once did someone look at another PWD to suggest that they were failing.

…not once was fear used as a motivator.

…not once were we made to feel sorry for ourselves.

…not once did my life feel like it should be measured in nothing more than numbers.

…not once did we call each other inspirational for just living with diabetes.

…not once did anyone do anything other than cheer another’s efforts.

…not once did anyone overreact if they noticed another PWD was low.

…not one did I feel that I was a burden.

…not once did I feel that I had to be a superhero.

…not once did I feel alone.

…not once did anyone demand that their way of doing diabetes was the better way.

…not once was diabetes the overall focus.

There are times that diabetes does its best to make me feel a burden, or that I am simply not enough. But not once – not ever – when I am around people like this do I feel anything other than whole.

Find your tribe

Find your tribe…