What Every Crazed Caregiver Needs: Lessons on Meditation!

When my husband came home from the hospital after his craniotomy, our house was constantly full of visitors.

Every one of them would say, “Rhonda, why don’t you go do something for awhile…we got this!”  Finally, I did.  But I don’t think they intended me to do what I actually did which was cry.  I walked to our beautiful downtown and straight to the vitamin store where I told the clerk every detail of Dan’s cancer in between blowing my nose and dragging long swipes of mascara down my face.  Tissue in hand I followed her around the store wild eyed and bewildered, as she loaded me up on Nutri-Calm and B vitamins.  Next, I stumbled to our barbecue joint (the best in Central Florida) to get iced-tea.

As I paid, the owners where subjected to my entire sad story.  They did not ask why I looked like Alice Cooper but in between sobs and completely unashamed public nose blowing, I told them anyway…every heartbreaking detail.

I stumbled down our main street crying with a wadded up and somewhat damp cluster of tissues in one hand and a Styrofoam cup of iced tea in another.  I found my way to a tiny park just off the main street, sat down beneath an oak and commenced to cry.  No… cry is not the right word…I wailed.  Long primal aching howls erupted right there in the middle of our tiny town.  I heard doors open.  I continued to sob.  I heard people walking nearby.  I continued to sob.  All the sadness and fear and grief that I had pushed down and down and down finally erupted in a cataclysmic public display of hair pulling and gnashing of teeth in truly biblical proportions.   Finally exhausted, covered in grass and snot, I took a more realistic inventory of my situation.  I had lots to worry about. It was true. But one other thing was painfully clear.  I needed to find a positive way to deal with the emotions that come along with being a witness to the multi-level devastation of a “terminal” illness.   Meditation saved my ass.

I could go on and on about all the ways that meditation has changed me, made me a happier human being, a better human being but it would just be scratching the surface.  Instead of taking my word for it, try it for yourself! No more procrastinating… THIS is the perfect time!  Sharon Salzberg, considered by many to be the best meditation teacher in the West is starting her 28-day challenge tomorrow! LUCKY YOU!

Salzberg’s program is specifically designed for baby meditaters.  No prior knowledge is needed or expected.  It can be applied to any spiritual practice and is explained in simple straightforward terms.  In fact, the teachings are so simple that you may feel like you are missing some valuable esoteric step that is the true key to enlightenment, but you’re NOT.  If you can breathe, you can meditate.  Visit Salzberg’s site to sign up.  There’s nothing to buy.  You don’t need any special equipment.  All that’s required is a commitment to seek peace in the face of what might be, as a caregiver, the most daunting struggle this life has to offer.

Go…be happy!