During the Alzheimer's sojourn.

I have an opportunity to go back to work. On a part-time basis. As a care-giver. For two dementia patients. I'm good at it. Because I honed my skills. As a care-giver for 13 years. For my beloved Jeanne. But the fact is, I'm retired. Have been. For 12 years. And I'm 74. Maybe it's a misnomer to say I'm retired. I'm really very active. Busy, one might say. I write every day. Even more writing than I did before retiring. Only now I write what I want to write. Mostly for pleasure. And for mental stimulation. I also walk at least 6 miles daily. And I garden. And I'm pursuing a life of romance. Love. I have an Italian girlfriend. We're in daily contact. Through an audio-video hook-up. And we visit each other. In Europe. And in the USA. We travel together. This summer it'll be in Central Europe. So, should I take on additional activity? Such as care-giving. Well, I'm thinking it might spread me too thin. I want to continue writing. Daily. And pursue a love life. Daily. So I think maybe the answer is to tutor care-givers. Share my wisdom. Demonstrate. Maybe even write about care-giving. And what it takes. I've been there. I made lots of mistakes. But I learned. On the job. By trial and error. And I think I finally got it right. In the process, I got my life together. I've learned how to live. To savor life. And I give much of the credit to Jeanne. She was my best teacher ever. During the Alzheimer's sojourn. --Jim Broede