Makes me laugh every time.

I've noticed. That people under great stress. Such as Alzheimer care-givers. Have a difficult time lightening up. Which should come as no surprise. That's the nature of the beast. Took me a while. Nearly 10 years. To learn how to cope with the care-giving stress. Fortunately, the last three years of tending to dear sweet Jeanne turned out to be a pleasure. I let go of the stress. By focusing on the humorous aspects of my dilemma.  And by getting ample respite. Wow! It worked wonders. For me. But more importantly, for Jeanne. Wish I had found the magical formula. Right from the beginning. But better late than never. Most care-givers that I've encountered are cranky. They exude bad vibes. Far too often. I learned to exude good vibes. In Jeanne's presence. Always. I became a master of  the art. Oh, I didn't always feel good inside. But never let Jeanne know it. I was always on my good/best behavior. In Jeanne's presence. That's primarily what made me a pretty good care-giver. Maybe even close to perfect some days. I say that tongue-in-cheek. I also tell people that I am superior. And that a lake in Minnesota has been named after me. Lake Superior. Imagine that. Some people take me seriously. Makes me laugh every time. --Jim Broede