Caregiving Through Rough Waters

365 Messages of Hope, Humor & Heart for Caregivers – #6

caregiving-rough-watersOne summer evening my husband and I enjoyed having dinner at a restaurant overlooking Tumwater Falls in the state of Washington. As I sat there and watched the river, I was mesmerized by how calm and still the water appeared on the surface – until the moment it fell over the edge. Then it crashed and splashed in a magnificent display of chaotic energy.

I think the same thing may be true of caregivers. You think you have everything under control. You are moving along fairly smoothly, and then something happens and you find yourself tumbling over the edge.

When we observe this in a river, we are often transfixed by the beauty and the tremendous energy it creates. I believe caregivers may be a lot like the water in a river, because it seems to me that it is during times of crisis that we are presented with the greatest opportunity for growth and change. You may not be aware of it in the moment, but just like the water, you are being transformed in beautiful and powerful ways.

Navigating our journey through caregiving can be scary and the path is rarely clear, but if we can lean on our faith and believe that we will have the strength and ability to not lose our course as we travel through the rough waters, we may be able to survive the falls and eventually reach a place of calm and peace.