Last week my wife underwent emergency surgery for an life-threatening medical condition we had no idea she had. The days since have been intense—to say the least—as I find myself juggling childcare, household chores, attending to my wife during her recovery, and the myriad other things that come with suddenly being thrust into the roles of simultaneous single parent and caregiver. It has been one of the most challenging weeks of my life.

I share all this not for sympathy, but simply to state a fact: life can hit you hard, and very suddenly, sometimes. It helps to be prepared for these moments. And the best preparedness comes in the form of relationships you can depend on. I learned this when I was diagnosed with cancer in my 20s. I learned it again when I found myself suddenly divorced in my early 30s. And here I am now, in my 40s, learning this lesson once again while trying to rise to the challenge before me.

We have no family living nearby who can lend a hand. But, fortunately, we do have a network of neighbors and friends who have graciously stepped in to help out—transporting kids to and from school while I spent hours visiting the ICU, dropping off prepared meals and snacks and activities to keep our kids busy, offering play dates or even, simply, words of encouragement.

Hard times are best endured with the support of others. I am immensely grateful for the kindness of our little community. This would have been impossible without their support and I do not take it for granted.