Post #11
One of the most beautiful ways I've seen neighbors caring for neighbors happens every Thursday evening at University Baptist Church across the street from the University of Texas Austin when, on average, 250 hungry people are served a free restaurant-quality meal.
One of the impressive details about this event is that those who cook and serve the meals come from a variety of churches, mosques, synagogues, and other organizations (including students from the university across the street and individuals who have also known the struggle to find food). This diverse group works together peacefully to complete the task at hand. Some cook, others serve food, and a few are just there to greet people and help them feel comfortable. Sometimes haircutting and other services are provided by volunteers. Wow! Talk about enlarging your caregiving team! (If your new to this blog, working as a team is something I bring up frequently.)
Of course, we also see this type of diverse team effort during large scale disasters. Boundaries are forgotten as one person pulls another from a raging flood, or a rescue team digs both rich and poor from the shambles of a major earthquake. Many people can muster the energy and compassion it takes to respond to emergencies, especially when it involves the people who live near us. Not everyone, however, has the desire or ability to be a consistent caregiver for those who need help after the most urgent needs are met.
I believe that there are ways to increase our desire and ability to care for others. First, it is important to expose ourselves to many types of people who need care. We might accomplish this through becoming involved in organizations such as homeless shelters, adult day care centers, and soup kitchens . . . We could also pay more attention to those we know who are caregivers, visiting them and helping out whenever possible. Additionally, it might be instructive to supplement these real life experiences through books, movies and social media focused on different types of caregiving. To increase our abilities, we can take training workshops and assist those with caregiving experience--learn from the masters, you might say.
For some of us, our major hindrance is not lack of desire or ability, but a lack of energy. Priorities are always important, and I'm not advocating shirking your current responsibilities--including the responsibility to care for your health. Still, there are often ways we can drop or delegate an item or two in our busy schedules. If you can make time to care for your neighbors for a couple of hours or more weekly, or even monthly, it is a beginning. And if you encourage those you know to do the same -- well, you know what I'm always saying about caregiving teams.
Based on my own experience, I highly recommend becoming involved in the hands on caregiving that brings great joy as you connect with others. However, there are also useful ways to support those who give care. We can give of our time to encourage those who may be burning out, donate supplies or money, tell others about caregiving opportunities. Use your imagination to care for your "neighbors"* in loving ways that meet their needs. Your actions will be an example and help to train the next generation in the art of caring for others.
*Note: In my blog post on January 17, 2020, "Caregiver Relationship: Stranger, Neighbor, Friend, or Family?" I discuss the fluidity of the terms that we use to describe our relationships with people. When I use the term "neighbor" in this post, I am using it in a geographical sense, referring to caring for those who live within a reasonable distance for us to care for consistently.
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