I went outside to a fine mist this morning. No telling how long it’s been falling. The drive is wet. So is the ground. It might rain all day. I was happy I rolled out the trash bin last night. And I was happy I mowed yesterday. Of course, moisture might curtail my garden work today. But that’s okay. I bought the mulch I need yesterday. It’s in the trunk. Dry. I can leave it there or pull it out. No harm either way.

My watch says I got seven hours of sleep last night. It feels like it. I’m fresh. Rested. My watch is happy. I guess. I mean it compliments me when I get enough sleep. Urges me to get more when I don’t. It also keeps tabs on my exercise. Gentle little reminders to keep moving. To go. To move. I think it’s really helpful, because sitting is pretty easy and I’m good at it, especially when I have a book and I just got one. But in defense of the book, I also want to keep my mind sharp. But I think that’s where sleep and exercise come in. The triumvirate. The trinity. Mind, sleep, exercise.

I wish I had paid more attention to all this when I was younger, but I suppose it’s never too late. Sort of like the skin care routine I’ve adopted. I’ve got soaps and creams. And it feels good. And I’m not embarrassed to talk about it. And I think sometimes we keep too much to ourselves and we’d be better off sharing, both our pain and our happiness, and especially the pain, because that can be a crushing burden. And that’s why I write. To share. And to encourage others to do the same.

To see a curated selection of the Caregiver's Tales click here.