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 Alzheimers, 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 100% 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. Ohhhhhhhhhhhh, 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 your are stepping back to the old situation, it will be with a new approach to service and love for you.
Love,
Deepak
As Deepak mentioned, get help !!!...You--as a social worker, must have knowledge of some of the programs available...You might want to connect with Area Agency on Aging, there are volunteers who will help you--they'll shop--clean your house--direct you to financial solutions, & spend time with your mom, so that you can get away for awhile...You may want to explore hospice...As a hospice volunteer, I can assure you , you & your mom would receive the best of care, with a nurse on call 24/7, we have volunteers who will spend several hours a day with your mother in order for you to get away ,or just so you could get some rest...Not all patients die who come to hospice, I've known patients who lived for more than two years, others who rallied & no longer needed hospice care...Also, many states, offer a monthly meeting for caregivers ( usually found in a hospital setting ) where they can come & receive support from others experiencing the same physical --emotional --& financial hardship...I wish you the best,oxox, Zebra Tony's wife
You are one hip DUDE Deepak!!! Keep it up baby.
Such a truly deep and helpful advice ... Having personally experienced such a situation ......