Welcome back!
Over the years, most of us lived our lives along a continuum of day to day experiences that grew into weeks, months, and years. One day we looked back and realized just how many years we have been on earth. At some time or other most of us have faced not only our own struggles, but the struggles of someone close to us. Whether it was a parent, a spouse, or a child, someone needed us in their time of need.
It’s easy to love someone when all is well in our world and in theirs. The challenge is loving someone who is struggling with their health, their behavioral problems, or their addictions. When we opened our hearts and lives, and even our homes, to those who were in need, we crossed over the line of desiring to come to ones aid, and dived into the world of true love.
Expected or unexpected, decisions are made
Sometimes the situations we find ourselves involved in come upon us over time. A parent ages, a spouse slowly becomes ill, a child slides down an emotional or physical slippery slope, and we drift into wanting to help them in their situation. Other times, due to a sudden change in their situation, such as a heart attack or stroke, a car accident, an overdose of pills or alcohol, we are thrown into an unexpected situation we neither created or wanted to become involved in.
However we became involved, whether we wanted to or now, we stepped up to the plate to do what we could for another person. We stepped into the realm of true love.
Whether we believe it or not, we had a choice. We may not have felt at the time that there was a choice, we may have just reacted to the situation. But, we really did have a choice.
Do you know how many people walk away when times get tough? I don’t know the statistics, but I know it happens. Look at all the homeless shelters, hospitals, and dilapidated homes where people who cannot sustain a lifestyle for themselves have been left abandoned by those who didn’t care enough to help them in their time of need.
Family members walk away every day because they don’t want to or are unable in some manner to care for another person.
Staying is more about you than them
If you have stayed in a situation or become a part of a situation where you are a primary or secondary caregiver, please understand that says more about who you are than who the one you are caring for is to you. You have stepped forward when others would have walked away. You have given up a portion of your own life to care for another.
It is on my heart today to encourage caregivers as they struggle with their emotions, sometimes loving and sometimes hating where they are currently at and what they are needing to accomplish on a daily basis. Care giving is difficult. Care giving is not fun!
Care giving is giving of your time and your resources and your life serving someone else who has a greater need than you have in your life. Care giving is providing value to another person. Care giving is the essence of true love.
