Care Giving and Stress

The past few months I have found myself in a position of being a care giver to a loved one.  Although I knew care giving was a stressful job, I have been surprised by the tremendous amount of work involved.  My appreciation for care givers has risen a hundred fold.  Fortunately for me I found the following poem which I am making an effort to read every day.  These words help me to find both strength and patience.

Any person who is dealing with care giving a person with a chronic illness, an addiction or merely aging will benefit from these words.

Blessed In Aging

By Esther Mary Walker

Blessed are they who understand

My faltering step and shaking hand

Blessed, who know my ears today

Must strain to hear the things they say.

Blessed are those who seem to know

My eyes are dim and my mind is slow

Blessed are those who look away

When I spilled tea that weary day.

Blessed are they who, with cheery smile

Stopped to chat for a little while

Blessed are they who know the way

To bring back memories of yesterday.

Blessed are those who never say

“You’ve told that story twice today”

Blessed are they who make it known

That I am loved, respected and not alone.

And blessed are they who will ease the days

Of my journey home, in loving ways.

It so makes us think about how we act to those in need of our help.  May all care givers understand this message, take it to heart and do your best to be a loving, supportive person.  Bless you all! 

“It is not how much you do, but how much love you put in the doing.”— Mother Theresa