Tips for Stress free life > Expert Zone > Elder Care
Elder Care Tips by experts
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
Tips for Stress free life > Expert Zone > Elder Care Elder Care Tips by experts |
|
|
|
|
When the Box is Empty
The King had a modest kingdom. He was Danish. This meant he was proud, tall, athletic and he enjoyed a quick wit. He was married to a princess from Great Britain at a very young age. They were both really just children when they began their own family. They had three children, two boys and a girl. The children all shared one common aim, to make the King proud. Each child vied for the King's attention and love, each using a different strategy. The eldest son used music to make his father proud. The middle child, the daughter used humor and dancing. The youngest chose sports, knowing his father had once been a great athlete, a champion in several sports. They had a modest castle, the King always worked hard to provide for his family. Demonstrating affection wasn't something he was ever comfortable with. So, in his own way, he captured treasured moments by making or collecting trinkets. Each little symbol represented a special family moment. Some were shiny, golden; still others were like little bells that made a sound when you picked them up. There was a story for each trinket. You see the King was a gifted storyteller. At dinner he would open up the box and hold up a trinket and smile. He would look up and to the right, and then tell a wonderful story that would have the children laughing, crying or shaking their head in disbelief. Telling stories became a family tradition. He encouraged the children to begin collecting their own trinkets and stories. As it is with most children, they obeyed their father and began filling up their boxes with symbols. Though the children were never very close, there were moments of family joy. They were all very busy trying to please the King with their respective gifts. As the years went by, the Kings Box became a giant chest, ornate, hand carved and full of trinkets. As the King grew older the quality and quantity of the contents of the chest improved. Soon the children had children of their own and they maintained the ritual of stories at the dinner table. One day, the King reached in his box for a specific trinket and found it missing. Thinking this somewhat odd, he thought perhaps he might have given it to his youngest son. He forgot about it. The next day, the same thing happened; a specific trinket was not to be found. What the King did not know was a thief had snuck in the night and stolen the shiniest trinket. The thief liked the trinket so much, the next night he took a different one. Because there were so many at first the King didn't notice. You see, this thief in the night was relentless, insidious, crafty and brutal. He was sneaking into his chambers and quietly pinching the King's most treasured possessions, his memories. One night the Queen heard a noise that startled her. She lit a match and held up the candle beside the bed. Holding it up high she saw the thief?it was a raccoon! He had a little bell in his hands. The light scared him and he scurried off with the bell. The queen had long since suspected something was wrong, now she knew. She gave it a name. That terrible raccoon. The King wasn't crazy and neither was she. Something really was taking the King's most treasured gifts. The next day they put a lock on the chest. That would stop the thief. The raccoon was too crafty. He picked the lock and kept stealing trinkets every night. The queen tried an alarm, a special light, and guard dogs, nothing worked. Each night the raccoon kept stealing the King's prizes. One day the box was empty! It was a sad day in the kingdom. The children came and sat at the feet the of the King and Queen and cried. There was nothing to do. All the memories were gone. The King had no more stories to tell. He was silent. He sat there with a far away look. That was how it was going to be. That is life when the box is empty. After a time, when the pain of the empty box came a little easier to accept, the Queen said to her children, go home, go through your chests, your boxes of trinkets. Choose the best ones. Each time you come to visit the King, bring a trinket and we shall put it in your father's box. We shall tell that story, and laugh, cry and enjoy it as something special. I will guard it. I will keep a constant vigil. In this way, the raccoon can never take your stories. When we get together we shall honor the King in this special way. So it was, once a week, the children would bring their children for a visit and drop a trinket in the box. This brought the children together in a way that never existed before. The raccoon was very unhappy about all this. He still tried to get in the castle, but the love of the family kept him on the outside, looking in. Though he tried to keep stealing as thieves do, he never took another trinket. Love does that. It's not something even the smartest thief in the world can take. That was the lesson learned in the Kingdom. The box was full until the day the King finally passed away. When he did, he was surrounded by children, grandchildren, stories, trinkets and love. Only one life that soon is past; only what's done with love will last. To people all over the world, that ever suffered the terrible pain of losing a loved one to Alzheimer's. I understand your pain. The night I read this story to my youngest son Evan, we wept together, holding each other tight. I pray science one day finds a cure for this terrible disease. In the meantime, may this little story bring you and your family comfort. May it bring your family a little closer together, as it has mine. Send this story to someone you know that is suffering. Perhaps it will heal the pain of loss for them or their children just a little bit. Grief is a form of energy and must find a way out. My hope is you make the time to put some trinkets in your family's box. It won't feel quite so empty. Love, Ugly Dog Publishing - Copyright 2005
MORE RESOURCES: See the complete list of Articles on Elder Care here Have a look at Best Selling Books on Elder Care
See also : Other articles on
Depression,
Grief Loss,
Happiness,
Humor,
Inspirational,
Motivation,
Latest info on : Elder Care
Elder-Care - Google News Why not be an expert yourself ? If you can write on
any of the above topic, you are welcome to submit your Submit
your article here |
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
What Colour was Your Great-grandmothers Hair? I've just made another Photoshop video. This one is about colour tinting (or "colorizing") an old photo. Paying For Elder Care Just Got Easier It's not a surprise that thousands of families across the nation are facing the challlenges of an aging population. The "sandwich" generation, those who are caring for their children as well as their parents, have been feeling the financial pinch of caring for loved ones. Nursing Home Staffing Levels: How Much Is Enough? During the week of February 17, 2002, headlines screamed the news - more than 92% of US nursing homes fail to have an adequate number of staff to provide quality care for elderly residents. Newspapers and radio programs based their stories on the new study the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) recently provided to the Senate's Special Committee on Aging. Second Hand Stair Lifts Buying second hand stair lifts is a viable and cost effective alternative to purchasing a brand new stair lift. Most stair lifts can be purchased new or second hand. Caring for Aging Relatives It happens somewhat slowly in the beginning, maybe with a small cough that gets worse as time goes on. It might simply begin with absent mindedness which is totally out of character, followed by total memory lapses. Hinged Rail Stair Lifts If a door at the top or the bottom of the stairs may be blocked by the rail of the stairlift, there are a number of models designed to overcome this problem. Some manufacturers are able to produce a rail with reduced overhang upstairs, so the lift will not protrude as far into the hallway. Short Trips Can Stimulate Alzheimers Patients Severe degradation of short-term memory means that my father, an Alzheimer's elder, is seldom interested in movies or books. And, although music used to be a source of enjoyment, he no longer listens with pleasure. As the Baby Boomers Age Many employees today are calling in sick - not to care for themselves or their children, but to care for their aging parents. Baby boomers are rapidly moving into the role of caregivers for their parents, but with a few extra challenges due to the changing face of our workforce. Just Give Them a Lot of Love and You'll be Fine It was right about this time, 19 years ago. My wife and I were sitting in the very last Lamaze birthing class, soon to be brand new parents. Senior Living: 5 Ways to Help Reduce the Risk of Falling Every year we hear stories of seniors falling, ending up in hospitals and never fully recovering. Unfortunately, these falls often result in death. Who Wants to End Up in a Nursing Home? NO ONE! As a long-term care consultant for seniors and their families I have visited many different types of facilities. But my favorite type of facility to visit is adult family homes. Skilled Nursing Homes - What Are They? A skilled nursing home is a medical facility providing services similar to a hospital. The homes are staffed with licensed nurses, shared rooms, hospital beds, regular scheduled doctor rounds, meals and housekeeping. Long Term In-home Care Options Are you worried that you may lose all your life's earnings and nest egg due to the rising costs of in-home long term care? As you get older do you have the necessary finances to protect yourself from going broke while slightly incapacitated? Many seniors are worried about are worried about the costs of long-term health care.Are you worried that if something happens to you, that you may run out of money and burn thru their reserves and all your nest egg. What Most Long Term Care Professionals Don't Know Medicare recognizes this need and, therefore reimburses your residents to receive advanced behavioral health services? making them free to your facility!Psychologists provide a wide variety of valuable and testedclinical services that can provide a big shot in the arm to yournursing home care. For example:1. Advocate For Senior Citizens - Protecting Against Abuse and Fraud Ruth is 87 years old this year and has been living alone since 1997. She is in good health, however the daily chores around the home became increasingly difficult. Marketing, Selling, and Serving the Older Adult, Senior Citizens, Family Caregivers Are your clients pleased by the fine quality service that you provide? Validating your clients' endorsement of you through Certification as a Senior Approved Service will increase your client base. Senior Approved Certification leads a family towards a service like yours side stepping the possibility of connecting with a less than desirable service. Exercise Walking For Seniors: Preventing Foot Problems Exercise has a very important role in the general health and the quality of life of everyone, but especially in seniors. Seniors who walk tend to look younger, sleep more soundly and have fewer visits to the doctor. Prepare to Make Long-term Care Choices Several months ago, I was coming out of a gas station when a woman stopped me and asked me what I did for a living. On the back of our van is our web address. Solitary Confinement -- for Life Sixty-five year old Arthur Jones served a self-imposed life sentence - in his own home.Arthur lived in a high crime neighborhood, so he built iron cages around his outside doors and installed bars on all the windows. Stair Lift Buying Guide There is no doubt that having a stair lift in your home can dramatically improve your quality of life. If you are starting to find that climbing the stairs is becoming a hazardous experience, or just hard work, then a stair lift could be the answer.
|
|
You are here |
|
| Elder Care Home | Elder Care Tips - Complete list | |
|
| Main Home | | Meditation Corner | |
|
|
| Recommend us | |
|
[About
us] [Contact] [Privacy
Policy]
Copyright 2006, Meditation
is Easy.com, All
rights reserved
