Have you hugged a last responder today?

Happy New Year! On this day one year ago, I found out I was being laid off my brand new federal job, a job I’d taken instead of accepting a full ride to a doctorate in forensic anthropology (my real dream). I was about six months into a sober curious journey, and I was mostly alcohol free but still not totally stable. My aunt had died the week before and my kitchen was under renovation with no end in sight.