When I dreamed of my future as an adolescent and young adult, I did not imagine at age of 22, that I would be caring for my parents. I thought they would be living their life and I would be establishing my own life apart from them. Well, they were forced into early retirement and my parents did not have retirement plan. At the time I was a recent college graduate and therefore, I quickly entered the workforce to support my parents and myself. So, my caregiving journey began more as a caregiver that provided financial support.
For me it was hard because I wanted my own apartment and new car like the other young adults my age. I wanted freedom to be reckless and unattached. I felt caged in. I did not want to be paying a mortgage or living with my parents. But I also didn’t want them to lose my childhood home and I didn’t want them to be homeless or have financial struggles. My father had also started to have some serious medical issues that needed my attention.
I quickly became a real grown-up. I didn’t get to live the typical young adult life after college. I couldn’t be selfish or irresponsible. I had to balance being a young adult and being a caregiver. I slowly learned that achieving balance on this journey would require me to have a different perspective on my life and future. I had to look beyond my current situations. I could not be inundated by my circumstances.
Caregiving requires a different perspective. As caregivers we often feel caged in and overwhelmed by our circumstances. Caregiving can leave us feeling physically and emotionally overpowered or exhausted. We must look beyond our circumstances and find hope. Its essential we have self-awareness about our own needs yet be compassionate to our loved ones. We are actually free to love and live life to the fullest while caring for our loved ones. We are free to sing and express our caregiving experiences. Through this blog I hope to continue to share through my experiences on how I care for myself while caregiving for others.
Side note: Yes, I love to read. What else is there to do in waiting rooms? I love the poem Sympathy by Paul Laurence Dunbar and I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou.