Without feeling guilty.

I know someone with an abundance of blessings. Actually, too many blessings. So that she doesn’t know how to deal with it all. She feels overwhelmed. Trying to manage all the blessings. She has a wonderful husband. A wonderful marriage.  She has economic security. A good job. She has a nice home. On a lake. She has a grown son, who visits often. Both of her parents are still living. They’re in their 80s. But that’s proving to be both a blessing and a curse. Because they have dementia.  But she’s a devoted daughter. And brought the parents into her own home. For four years now. She feels obligated and responsible for caring for the parents.  She’s devoted. But too devoted. To the point that she’s become physically, mentally and emotionally exhausted. As a result, she’s faced with having to put the parents into assisted living. In order for her to survive. So that she can get respite and enjoy her many, many blessings. But she feels overwhelming guilt. And sounds like she wants to become a saint. To care for the parents until she dies doing it. That would make her a martyr. A true masochistic saint. I keep telling her, she’s not a saint. But a fool if she proceeds  along this line. She’s blessed with long-lived parents. Appreciate that blessing. Appreciate the fact that they have lived long enough to ultimately die of Alzheimer’s. A disease of the aged. And know that they are decent parents. That don’t want her to become a saintly fool. Rather she put them into assisted living. Without feeling guilty.  –Jim Broede