I’ve been home for two weeks and head back down to California in another week. When your heart is in so many places, it is never easy to leave one for another. With one child in San Diego, one in Orange County, and one at home in Spokane (Senior year no less!), you can imagine what tugs at my heart.
Being able to go back and forth to help care for our mom this year has been a gift for so many reasons—among them being able to spend so much time with family.
With sickness comes blessings too, and one of the most joyous things has been to see how so many friends and family have stepped forward to help our mom. While those who know our mother well know that she’d much rather be the one giving than receiving, we have continued to remind her that it is in fact good to receive, and we have encouraged her to remember how good she feels when she has helped others in the past.
It comes as no surprise to you that when one of her caregivers shared with our mom that she moved into an apartment and just had a bed and a couple of other things, Lorrie started pulling out dishes and silverware and kitchen towels from drawers and cupboards to share with her.
After she left, my mom said, “maybe you should look around and see what else we can find that might be useful for her.”
Your messages, your cards, your food, your visits, your texts, your phone calls, your trips to the airport to pick us up, your trips to the grocery store, your delivery of treats and gift cards and notes of encouragement have all been received with gratitude.
My brothers and I thank you. And our mom is slowly—ever so slowly—learning how to become a receiver after so many decades of being a giver.
Thank you. ❤️
