The kindness of strangers

I have been hugged by more complete strangers in the past 10 or so days than it feels like in my whole life, and, strangely, for this confirmed introvert, this has not on the whole been a Bad Thing. In fact, this whole experience has been (and continues to be) strangely full of grace in many ways. My mum is at home now, and I am receiving help from 24 hour home support, as well as a visiting home-care nurse and many on call people at my fingertips it feels like (at times the Canadian public health care system actually _does_ work). MKB is here at least until Wednesday, when she has a trial. Other friends phone - or not - as needed, and I'm just floating in this little unreal bubble, but it feels... not bad. Every now and then I go into meltdown; this often elicits one of the aforementioned hugs. But that's okay too.