Having someone to take care of me.
My nephew was sick today. This normally playful little boy was curled up under a little blanket. While he should have been bouncing off of the walls, he was plastered to the couch. My motherly instinct kicked in. Setting him up with a blanket, tucking him in, getting him a little portable TV tray to eat his lunch off of, even lifting the triangular cut piece of jelly sandwich to his mouth. And it made me curious. How did I know what to do? what made me do what I was doing? how did I have that "just right touch" to make him feel better vs just making him feel annoyed?
Answer to all of the above: my mom and my dad.
I wasn't an overly sick child but I had my colds, my flu's, my infections. And now I picture myself back then: little, achy, curled up on the couch with my blanket and my koala. And for the entire time I was sick, I didn't have to move from that spot. A little TV tray would make it's way over to my side, a cup with a top and a straw was constantly replenished. Something I loved was on TV or in the VCR. Anything I wanted (within reason of course) would find its way to me. My dad would always bring home the Ginger Ale or the Cherry Sucrets. My dad, my mom, or both would sit with me at the doctors office, holding my hand, playing with my hair, tickling my back. It was as if the whole world stopped for my to get better. But when I look back now... my parents just stopped THEIR whole world to take care of me. It's ironic that of all the days I've spent sick in my life, what I remember is being cared for. Even at my worst, when I was hospitalized at age Two, the ONLY thing I remember is my mom holding my hand the entire night. Everything else about those sick days have long since faded away.
So pay it forward. Take care of someone else when they are sick. Even if they're not a little kid. Everyone needs to be taken care of every once in a while.
So there you have it, folks. The first item to my list.
peace. love. happiness.
No comments:
Post a Comment