
I was reminded of a book I first read in my twenties when I was babysitting - “The Giving Tree” by Shel Silverstein. Maybe you’re familiar with it. On first reading, I thought it was a
lovely story about love and what a parent will give selflessly to a child. At the time I saw it from the viewpoint of a child thinking about my mother and her love for me. The next time I read the book, I was a parent myself and I was reading to my child. My fond memory of the book was dashed as I turned each page and read how the main character, a tree,
gave and gave and gave to ‘the boy’ until she was nothing but a lifeless stump. And even then, she still gave by letting the now aged boy sit on her.
Healthy people often struggle with self-care choices. As ME/CFS patients we make daily decisions about self-care – energy levels, rest needs, symptom management and recovery protocols. And despite all we have learned, we somehow ‘decide’ to push ourselves too far for our loved ones. Who are we fooling? How do we keep within our limits? How do we communicate honestly with our loved ones? How do we show our love without suffering a set back? Please COMMENT on this blog or Send in your thoughts and I’ll post them with your permission. You can use the Contact Form or send an email to Martha at DefeatCFS dot net. And Guest Blogs are most welcome!
Look for a weekly posting on Tuesdays. And consider being part of the conversation.
Be Well Again,
Martha