If you’ve been watching the news this week, you probably felt that familiar knot in your stomach. Hurricane Isaias, a Category 3 storm with winds up to 120 miles per hour, was forecast to come ashore on the Gulf Coast Friday night, with millions of our fellow Americans on high alert. If you have family or friends along that coast, you know how long those hours feel. Preparing, checking in, and sharing what we have is something we do well as a country, and we’ll keep doing it as our neighbors there recover.

Meanwhile, a quieter story deserves a look, too. About 12 percent of Americans now take GLP-1 weight-loss drugs, and PBS NewsHour reports that new questions are coming up about how those medications are changing the way we see our own bodies. Whatever your own health choices are, it’s a good reminder to be gentle with each other. Nobody knows what a neighbor is carrying, and a kind word costs nothing.

And here’s some news we can all use. Researchers say almost half of the key risks for cognitive decline can be prevented or delayed. That’s worth repeating: almost half. The usual suspects are the ones your doctor and your grandmother have probably told you about, such as staying physically active, sleeping well, keeping connected with friends and family, and staying curious. None of it is glamorous, but all of it is within reach. If you’re not sure where to begin, a daily walk with a friend covers a surprising amount of ground.

What ties these stories together? Taking care. We take care of each other when the weather turns, we take care with our words when it comes to health and bodies, and we take care of our own minds so we can keep showing up for the people who count on us.

Last week, four astronauts came home after eight months aboard the International Space Station. After all that time far from home, they were glad to be back among familiar faces. Maybe that’s the best reminder of all: wherever we’ve been and whatever’s ahead, home is the people who look out for us, and we can be that for someone this week.