Caretaking.
When your mind and heart are truly open abundance will flow to you effortlessly and easily.
Question:
Hi Deepak, I am a caretaker. Always have been. My mother tells stories even as a child of my caretaking skills and application. By trade, I am a social worker. Here are the circumstances. My mother has Alzheimer’s, God bless her, and had no place to go as my retired and very active church going brothers refused to take her in after going through her money. I have chosen the path of forgiveness and feel at peace towards my brothers. I have retired early at great and serious financial loss and Mom lives with me. Mom is very sweet and 1005 vulnerable I am thankful to be able to provide a place of peace and love for her. However, it requires 100 percent giving with no reciprocity, of course. Hence, my well is feeling quite dry. I know all the adages of finding time for yourself, etc. — as a social worker I have often very sincerely offered such advice to others as well as to myself — and have followed my own advice as circumstances allow. However, it just doesn’t seem to be enough. I have read all your books and excitingly and lovingly believe and practice to my best all you purport. Ohhh, dear Deepak, I still find myself so weary…the redundancy of repetitious stories and questions are mind numbing yet I so deeply understand and have such compassion for Mom’s vulnerable plight, bless her sweet heart. I know there are millions out there in this set of circumstances. Will you be so kind as to share some thoughts?
Response:
There aren’t adequate words to describe the love in action that is required to care for individuals like your mother. Even when you know the importance of taking time and rest for yourself, still a bone weariness can still set in. Even when you are a natural born caretaker like yourself, an emotional exhaustion can take over. For these times, it is necessary to do more than take a few hours off for yourself. Get some temporary help for your mother and go on a brief vacation. Do something fun, creative and life-affirming. Reconnect with your life purpose in a fresh way. When you return, it won’t be that you are stepping back to the old situation, it will be with a new approach to service and love for you.
Love,
Deepak
