Now, I ain’t naming names, but I got to say I reckon that the hardest folks in the world to care for is caregivers.
They give and give to others, and seem to feel bad if they have needs of their own. They lie something terrible, with their biggest lie being, “I’m okay.” They put aside their needs for the needs of others, and are so damn busy helping, that they ain’t got no time to be helped.
They live in a constant state of stress, rarely get the sleep they need, nor the nutrition that they require. They always think in terms of ‘we’ instead of ‘me’, and consistently consider the needs of others to be greater than their own. They are bundles of love being ground down by love, putting aside their happiness to be the happiness of others.
They get no pay, work 36 hour days, and have to fight tooth and nail for things that none of us should ever have to fight for. They are unsung heroes whose quiet stoicism goes mostly unnoticed, and whose eyes smile to hide feelings deep within. The are devalued, often disrespected, rarely supported, and yet they continue to care.
They are magnificent and noble human beings who exhibit some of the finest qualities folks can have. But, they’s the hardest damn folks to do anything for, because any time someone tries, they say “I’m okay”, even when they ain’t. But then again, they’s givers not takers; the real deal, not fakers; and I reckon that the world’s a whole heap better place for many because of them.
Dang caregivers…