Caregiving is a Hero’s Journey
I've always been a fan of The Hero with a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell and The Writer's Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers by Christopher Vogler. Both writers examine the journeys of heroes, mythic and filmic. When I read their books, I saw commonalities between the challenges caregivers face and the ones mythical heroes faced.
Success in either endeavor requires a transformation;
a morphing into a more assertive, confident, discriminating, compassionate, and loving person. Old beliefs and attitudes are dropped, new ones obtained. New skills and knowledge are hard won. Being present, seeing objectively leads to a new view of reality.
Our heroes come face to face with their limitations and find a way to accept them with equanimity. They find greater contentment with themselves and a closer connection with a limitless source.
Though the hero’s transformation may culminate with something tangible, rescuing a damsel in distress or bringing back a magic elixir, not so with the caregiver. The caregiver cultivates peace of mind, self-fullness to bring their love and compassion to someone they care for very much.
As all heroes know, the ultimate journey is inward.
If you’re a caregiver having difficulty in this role, feeling alone, frustrated and tired with no peers to share your experiences, on a rollercoaster ride of doctor calls and appointments, bouncing between good news and bad news, having more questions than answers, suffering as you’ve seen others suffer, having tried what everyone has said to try but to no avail, then you may be ready for a fundamentally different approach.
