In 2019, my father was sick and I was helping to manage his care while maintaining a very high-stress, full-time career in publishing. I’d travel back and forth from upstate New York to my media job in downtown Manhattan, where the work pressures were intense. I’d be forcing smiles in meetings while checking my phone about my father’s status; sitting in his hospital room with my laptop open, fielding emails and calls.
A colleague became my confidante. The bridge between my personal and professional lives, and having that person who understood both worlds felt like a salve. It was a relief to have someone who knew why I needed a little extra time to get things done. One week, an Instant Pot showed up, a gift she sent to help make cooking bulk meals for my family easier. When I opened the package, I started sobbing. She was one of the reasons I was able to make it through that time; what many people would call a work wife.
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