Dawn’s Embrace: Finding Respite in Life’s Desert

Anyone who has cared for a person with a longterm illness is aware of the soul crushing weight of tending to their needs. It’s not that giving care isn’t meaningful or done out of love, it’s just a huge responsibility while trying to also tend to your own life. It’s why respite care becomes crucial for the caregiver. An opportunity for the caregiver to catch their breath and recharge. I cared for my spouse during the last eighteen months of his life, when he wasn’t in hospital. I also worked full time which included a two hour commute each way. I often left for the city before daybreak. It was in that quiet time of the day, when I encountered very little traffic on the road to contend with that I found some respite from the demands on me. It was just my vehicle and me, life became just a little bit calmer, a bit like a new start. I made it a habit to not turn the radio on until I was in more traffic. That short period between leaving the house and running into traffic was my time for my thoughts and to enjoy watching daylight creep up on the world. Decades later, I no longer have to commute anywhere. I still relish the early mornings. The quiet calm of the new day breaking and the sounds of activity slowly shifting from night quiet to day noise. We all experience dark times of the soul, where it feels like the world is trying to crush the soul. If we spend most of our time in the shadow of life, the darkness is crushing. If we deliberately make sure some of our time is spent in the light and stillness, we know with certainty the darkness is temporary. Share your thoughts in a comment. Let’s start a conversation. <a href="https://shadowspublishing.medium.com/dawns-embrace-finding-respite-in-life-s-desert-f5a576bc55ff">Read More</a>