What we save and what saves us

Helping Friendly Newsletter, 05.16.25

May 16, 2025

Every other Friday, I share 5 things to consider. On the Fridays between, I mix things up. This is a Friday between.

GM ☕️

Just 1 thing today…

There are many ways to love the world: Words, drawings, dinner on the table. Protests, research, policy, planning. Inspired leadership. Teaching, tending, entertaining. A hand to hold in a difficult moment.

These gestures and the other loving things you do—they are all essential, friends. In a world that continues to overflow with bad news and good reasons to rage, fear, worry, and grieve, love is both the lifeline we cast and the raft we hold onto.

illustration of anthropomorphized newspaper, looking angry, with text "The world is violent and mercurial--"

illustration of boxing glove making impact with a person who has her hands up, with text "It will have its way with you."

illustration of heart wearing a superhero mask and cape with text, "We are saved only by love--"

illustration of 2 people holding hands with hearts around them and text, "Love for each other"

text, "and the love we pour into the art we feel compelled to share"

illustration of parent looking at baby in crib with moon/starts and text, "being a parent;" + illustration of woman at typewriter with hearts and text, "being a writer;"

illustration of woman with palette and easel and text, "being a painter;" + illustration of two friends at a table with mugs and hearts, with text, "being a friend."

illustration of a building on fire with flames, smoke, and text, "We live in a perpetually burning building, and what we must save from it, all the time,"

illustration of burning building with flames, smoke, and text, "is love." + illustration of 2 people carrying hearts away from building saying "I've got you, Love" and "Love, you're safe" + illustration of 1 person walking towards building, saying "I'm going back in." — Words by Tennessee Williams, comic by me.

This observation, shared by Tennessee Williams in an interview with biographer James Grissom, bugged me at first. It seemed to contradict itself. Does love save us, or do we save love? Which is it, Tennessee? Ultimately, though, the answer is simple; it just took me time to see: Love saves us, and we must also save it. Around and around, again and again, all the time, love. More and more love. Keep going, y’all.

“The world is violent and mercurial — it will have its way with you. We are saved only by love — love for each other and the love that we pour into the art we feel compelled to share: being a parent; being a writer; being a painter; being a friend. We live in a perpetually burning building, and what we must save from it, all the time, is love.”

Tennessee Williams

”No, not just for some, but for everyone”

ICYMI, last week I shared 5 Things to Consider:

Face light, stand tall 🌻

Jenny Phillips

May 9

5 things to consider: flourishing, stretch collaboration, leaving your career, death for dummies, and must-see TV.

Read full story

Thank you for reading! This newsletter is a labor of love. 💌 To support it, you can upgrade to a paid subscription, share this post, or engage my services. You can learn more about my work at jenniferlphillips.com.

Peace,

Jenny

P.S. gentle reminder👇

post by @nobodysflower: "here is your gentle reminder that there are dandelions growing through cracks int he sidewalk. there is a fence lizard on the porch who is growing a new tail. there are trees growing through an abandoned house, branches tearing through the ceiling, ferns carpeting the floor. there is life pushing forward, pushing through." — Post by @nobodysflower on Tumblr.

Jenny Phillips

What we save and what saves us

Helping Friendly Newsletter, 05.16.25

Face light, stand tall 🌻

Discussion about this post