Unsung Heroes

The third Friday in February is National Caregivers Day. It is a day designated to show gratitude and offer thanks. Many caregivers are woefully overworked, underpaid and underappreciated. They are our unsung heroes. This piece is for them.

Thank you for showing up day in and day out.

Thank you for arranging care for your family so you can care for mine.

Thank you for your patience and discretion.

Thank you for bringing your kid to work. It brightened my dad’s day.

Thank you for working a double, for picking up a shift. You are the backbone of your building.

Thank you for getting to work at 6 a.m. For making sure my dad got breakfast and showered and dressed for the day.

Thank you for keeping my mom’s home clean and tidy. Thank you for coloring with her.

Thank you for taking my mom to her hairdresser. She so loved that.

Thank you for serving my mom lunch. And making sure she got her 2 pm pills. And rubbing her feet when she was in distress.

Thank you for being so kind and generous with my dad, especially as his disease progressed.

Thank you for being so wonderful for my mom.

Thank you for taking care of me.  All the compassion, understanding and expertise you poured into my parents washed over me also. Your work allowed me some freedom, some space. I was able to tend to my husband, my dogs, my business and my clients. For that I am profoundly grateful.

Lastly, to all the sons and daughters, husbands and wives we work with, you are inspiring, and I appreciate you. From my own experience, I know it’s love and affection, duty and obligation that drives. I know it’s hard and sometimes you’d rather not.

And still you do.

Dedicated to Jennifer, Maria, Ciera, Joyce, Debra, Yadi, Paloma, Cameron, Letty, Emmy & Louis