Sometimes protection means walking away. Sometimes sacrifice. Sometimes accepting that something you once protected may no longer be around to protect. These can be hard to accept when the work of protection is straining us. We expect that work to be fulfilling and uplifting and courageous, but it can often be filled with hardship and doubt. Is it worth the energy to protect that which I've held dear? Am I effectively protecting it, or do I actually have so many weak points I may as well not be doing anything? It can be difficult to reckon with these questions and face the more challenging aspects of protection work.
What matters here and now is that you keep up the work. Maybe it looks different than expected or the hurt is particularly strong this week, but it's important that you keep going on. Maybe it means protecting yourself is better than protecting another, or vice versa. Maybe you can no longer protect something and you have learn to accept that. Maybe the extra effort you need to put into this work is particularly trying. Whatever the case may be, remember that there is value to this work. There are people and things worthy of protection. It is up to you to determine who or what that is and how much you can do to keep it safe.
