Evana Sandusky writes on the fears and faith she has for the New Year, as she reflects on a trip to buy a 2024 Yearly planner.
I Didn’t Want to Learn Hard Caregiving Lessons, but Now I’m Grateful
My entire life, literally since I was two years old, has revolved around caregiving. Therefore I assumed I was prepared for the challenges our family faced after my mother was diagnosed with dementia in 2008. That assumption proved correct until January of 2023 when Mom entered hospice care. Over the six months leading to her departure from this earth, advocating for her was all encompassing. I didn’t want, nor did I have time to learn hard caregiving lessons. With each passing day I became more grateful for how they drew and are still drawing me closer to God. And so, I want to share them with you.
Practicing Gratitude in Hard Seasons
Only when challenges slap me upside the head do I return to practicing gratitude in hard seasons. I was about to tumble into a pit of depression––a condition that has rarely reared its ugly head in my life––when God brought to mind a practice my husband and I first used decades ago while caring for our son with special needs. Every day I have been practicing daily gratitude in a hard season. Finding reasons to be thankful instead of wallowing in the hard bits took some getting used to. But eventually I got the hang of it and ended up with a long list.
What makes me cry as a caregiver?
How Can I Be Grateful for Disability?
The question seems ludicrous, even unfeeling when I consider what my father, son, and now my mother experienced due to disability. So how is it, the day after Christmas, that I am grateful for the disabilities that continue to bring sorrow, pain, and loss to our family? Upon reflection, I see the answer in the smiles of my father, my son, and now my mother.
