Winter Fun

This photo actually depicts what it looks like here today.  Cold, wintery, snowing.  What is it like in your area?  As caregivers, winter months can be long.  What do you do for respite from caregiving?  

The Path off the Path

"It is the path off the path that leads us to God."  Mark Nepo

I am not sure we will ever encounter God if we stay on the expected, well-worn path.  God appears in the unexpected, in the silence, in nature, in unexpected encounters.  What can you do today to set aside time to encounter God -- in whatever way you envision him or her or it.

Seeing the Trees for the Forest

We are all familiar with the phrase -- you can't see the trees for the forest -- which is said to mean that you cannot see the important detail among the many other details.  It is an easy trap to fall into.  One of the things I learned from Dwane was to buy quality, only what we want, when we need it.  Prior to that, and still sometimes, I have been prone to bargain hunting.  His way was better.  How do you attend to the small details of your life?

The Way Is Long

1/3 third of caregivers will die doing the task, 1/3 will have their health irreparably damaged, and 1/3 will come out the other side better for having done it.  Roslyn Carter Institute

Which 1/3 do you want to be?  It is extraordinarily stressful to do caregiving.  It will take self care techniques for you to come out of this better for having done it.

Caregiver Respite

In the U.S. within the Department of Social Services -- or perhaps it is called Department of Human Services in your area -- is a Caregiver Respite Program.  It pays up to $5000 every year for someone to come in to the home and give respite to you, the caregiver.  It is worth checking out.  

Caregiving Respite

Caregiving, in whatever form you give, requires self care of the caregiver.  Much is written about how to better care for the care receiver, but there are too few resources for support for the caregiver.  Times away from the responsibility of caregiving, having others run errands or do household chores, a social support group -- are all important.  

Being Transformed

"To journey and to be transformed by the journey is to be a pilgrim." Mark Nepo

Both external and internal journeys can transform us.  A friend and I were talking recently about how much college education changes a person.  So, too do journeys.  I believe I am different from having lived various places, but - of course - there is the downside of lacking rootedness in a region.