I was just reading in our
local newspaper an article about the benefits to both caregivers and their
loved ones if traditional holiday festivities are tempered by more simplicity
and fewer commitments. People everywhere are overwhelmed and over-wrought..and
these frustrations create, for the “loved one(s)”, a sense of anxiety that may
not be not identifiable. For some households,
dementia has come uninvited and everyday
compromises are a fact of life.
As is the case with anyone
whose finances may be so meager that there is simply not enough for the basics
of living, a sense of helplessness and hopelessness can be pervasive. Solutions
are just not recognizable and the feeling of being mired down is totally
suffocating. Caregivers who are also
suffering the woes of coping know that even tidbits of relief are truly
valuable.
Last evening, with the tree
up and soft Christmas music playing, my
loved one was humming along to familiar carols and classics of yesteryear. I had a couple of pillar candles, in tall
glass cylinders, on the mantle – the atmosphere was peaceful and content. Out
of the blue came a real zinger….an observation that “the catholics are lit
up”! It was absolutely a hilarious
moment which will be treasured forever .
Don’t be a fool this Yule –
do what you can, enjoy what you have,
and know that as the weeks ahead pass Springtime , with all its possibilities,
will certainly bring fresh insights and outlooks . Love yourself, love your
friends – however few or many they may number, and feel amazed again when you
imagine jingle bells.
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