By chance, I met a lady from Sicily today, who is going through the same transition that I have been going through. She lost her mother just a couple of weeks before my mother died, and we shared a lot of what we had been going through. She also works full time at the grocery store where I shop, and like me, she had to rearrange her life to care for her mother. Now that we are no longer under the burden of constantly juggling our time between work and caring for an ailing parent, there is a sense of relief, appreciation of more free time, and . . . guilt . . . because we feel the relief.
Neither of us begrudged our mothers the time they needed from us. We would still be gladly giving to each of them if they were still with us. At the same time, there's no denying that it was a difficult and exhausting time! We were both sandwiched in between two generations who needed us, and the responsibility felt very heavy at times.
We shared stories and emotions and understanding. Just a chance meeting of two hearts and minds full of the same emotions and thoughts regarding the transitions that we were experiencing since the passing of our beloved mothers.
It's interesting how a bit of unexpected conversation with another traveller on your path can truly be medicine for the soul. God has His own ways of bringing us relief from the stresses of our journey, and providing the encouragement that we greatly need to face the transitions that are ahead.
God is good!
Neither of us begrudged our mothers the time they needed from us. We would still be gladly giving to each of them if they were still with us. At the same time, there's no denying that it was a difficult and exhausting time! We were both sandwiched in between two generations who needed us, and the responsibility felt very heavy at times.
We shared stories and emotions and understanding. Just a chance meeting of two hearts and minds full of the same emotions and thoughts regarding the transitions that we were experiencing since the passing of our beloved mothers.
It's interesting how a bit of unexpected conversation with another traveller on your path can truly be medicine for the soul. God has His own ways of bringing us relief from the stresses of our journey, and providing the encouragement that we greatly need to face the transitions that are ahead.
God is good!
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