One of the most interesting questions I have been asked was about doing work that required difficult decisions that valued community input...what did I do when I had to make a decision and there wasn't time to get feedback about the decision. What do I do when I am alone.
I took a few moments to think about the question. My response came from something deep inside me. I said "I am never alone." I think it was difficult for most of my colleagues to wrap their heads about the idea that this was possible. I went on to talk about how the ancestors are there to guide me when I am seemingly "alone".
My answer is deeply embedded in in my spirituality and worldview and yet I still need a reminder particularly when I struggle through depressive episodes and feel completely alone in the world. The ancestors are always with me and they always have my back.