This morning when I woke up my brain felt fuzzy, my back was tight, my legs were logy and I was emotionally wobbly. I got Alex settled in his chair, brought him the newspaper and a cup of tea and told him that I just had to go for a walk. (It’s been more than a month since I’ve left him alone to do that.)
The air was cool, the neighborhood was quiet, and I was in heaven. I walked fast, pausing only to take a few pictures of pretty flowers in our neighbors’ yards. It didn’t take long for my tension to start melting away.
When I headed home I saw a pyracantha bush intertwined with a blackberry bush. The tips of the branches were peaking out of some wild brush on the side of a road. Both are thorny, prickly plants that take over any space they occupy. They grow and spread with phenomenal speed. I had to stop and take a picture, because the scene reminded me of caregiving.
It’s a thorny job, but when you look closely, you discover unexpected beauty. I snapped the photo, and then I ate the blackberries to remind myself that there is also a lot of sweetness in having the ability to help people who cannot manage all of their own care.
