Better than being a dead saint.

To be truly unselfish, one has to be selfish. To a degree.  That’s my philosophy. Because if I don’t take care of myself, I’ll be in no condition to help others. That especially goes for care-givers. I need to be rested. And in a good frame of mind. In order to adequately care for others. Over the years, I’ve seen scores of care-givers that neglected themselves. Maybe they were trying to be saints. But still, they may have done more harm than good. Because they worked themselves to mental and physical exhaustion. Maybe out of love. But also out of stupidity.  Some became ill. Or even died before their patients. They literally worked themselves to death. Sad, indeed.  Because it didn’t have to happen. Everybody would have been better off if the care-givers had learned to survive. By being a bit more selfish. By caring for themselves first and foremost. So they could become truly effective, efficient and loving care-givers for a long, long time. Better than being a dead saint. –Jim Broede