Spoken word by the spiritual poet

“Who can I turn to in time of need? Who can I call? Who will come and see about me? I need someone, someone to hear my plea. I need a friend, someone, someone, who hears me. Please give me something to hold on to. Comfort me. Please give me something, something to hold on to, comfort me…”

This song strikes at the heart and home of all those who have been or are current caregivers to their aging mother or father–affectionately known as mom or dad, mama or papa. The road is quite tough depending on the terminal malady in progress and it can be, will become, and is a daunting task to shoulder as days turn into weeks, and weeks into months, and months into years. If you have no sibling or family network to shoulder or displace the weight, the caregiver in you becomes frayed, anemic, and despondent under the duress of bitter distress.

Don’t be afraid that you are not strong enough all throughout. Don’t be afraid to let your guard down. Don’t be afraid to stay in touch with your feelings. Don’t be afraid to accept what you cannot change, and don’t be afraid to cry. Crying is a necessary therapy to experience throughout your journey. Crying is mood altering. Crying releases the stress and weight and rejuvenates mind, body, soul, and spirit. Crying allows you to exhale, and crying gives you a sabbatical moment albeit a few minutes or a few hours.

In the end, eventually we must release mom or dad, mama or papa to experience the irreversible bittersweet miraculous sunrise and sunset of eternal sleep. But until then, we need someone to turn to. We need someone to hold on to, and like the songwriter says, “Give me something to hold on to, comfort me.”