Reflections of a Daughter of the Silent Generation and Mother of Generation Y
I was starting to feel emotional about the changes ahead and grateful for the prospect of time together beforehand, when I noticed Mom’s intestinal bleed – a “complete curveball” my husband called it… and a classic example of the importance of “Letting Go of Expectations,” as they say in AA.
—excerpt from Living Is for Living: A Caregiver’s Story
Hospitalized again, Mom being evaluated for another intestinal ailment, with enough blood loss to warrant a transfusion, it was time to gear up again.
—excerpt from Living Is for Living: A Caregiver’s Story
AA’s Step Seven: “Humbly asked our Higher Power to remove our shortcomings.” Faith in a Higher Power…It’s what helped me, Mom still in Maine for a bit longer, in another’s care. #thankGodforHannah! (Al-Anon’s Twelve Steps & Twelve Traditions)
—excerpt from Living Is for Living: A Caregiver’s Story
Under one roof – a tremendous relief – our whole family, even when it’s brief.
Truly, I’m glad they’re livin’ their dreams – still, it’s not always as great as it seems.
Keepin’ it simple, I miss ’em when they’re away – not said to hold ’em back, just to enjoy this day.
There’s nuthin’ in the world like our home when it’s full – the laughter, the fun, even the bull.
A rambunctious crowd – I’d have it no other way – this is our family, each with our say.
Monday will come, as will the Fall, we’ll rearrange, still we’ll always be all.
Under one roof – a tremendous relief – our whole family, even when it’s brief.
—from Living Is for Living: A Caregiver’s Story
Our ten-year-old, done with elementary school and on his way to middle school, sat at the kitchen counter one early summer morning,
“You know what I don’t get?” he said to me.
“They start preparing us to be big when we’re only three.
We go to pre-school to get ready for kindergarten,
To kindergarten to get ready for first grade,
To first grade to get ready for second,
Second to get ready for third,
Third to get ready for fourth,
Fourth to ready for fifth,
And fifth for sixth.
Now there’s sixth for seventh,
Seventh for eighth,
then eighth for ninth,
ninth for high school,
high school for college, and
college for your job.”
Our ten-year-old son, with the big blue eyes,
looked at me with clarity and asked,
“When does a three-year-old get to be three?”
—from Living Is for Living: A Caregiver’s Story
As Siena turned 24, I thought I’d share some things about her that had held true since the start. She’s humorous and she humor’s us, most of the time. She loves the color blue and coffee talk. She can make anything fun, even exercise, just ask the animals.
—excerpt from Living Is for Living: A Caregiver’s Story
AA’s Step Five: “Admitted to our Higher Power, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.” Not only does being heard set us free, being able to listen without having to jump in and rescue is transforming as well. (Al-Anon’s Twelve Steps & Twelve Traditions)
—excerpt from Living Is for Living: A Caregiver’s Story
The challenges I faced as mother and daughter were strikingly similar, and what comforted me then, comforted me now: Faith is the way. Caregiving, like motherhood, is living proof of our Higher Power’s love.
For as long as I could remember, exercise had relieved stress and cleared my mind. These days, Mom rebounding, I hoped it would help me get my spark back too.
—excerpt from Living Is for Living: A Caregiver’s Story
