News, What News?

   For years now, Mayre and my normal weekday evening routine has been to have supper, get the dishes done, fix a little desert and go in the den to check out the latest news on the TV, before we head off to read and get ready for bed.

   But for a few months now, the tv news has become less and less news and more and more talking heads stretching to see and report what they think lies ahead. There is more and more opinion, and, in a way, I guess it helps to fill the time allotted to that program. The 24 hour news cycle needs a lot of fodder to make it through the day.

   But there is another reason that the evening news has less and less appeal for us.

   A lot of you all may have days like this, but it seems my days are filled with:

   Getting both of us up
   Deciding what to have for breakfast
   Fixing same
   Deciding what to wear for us
   Dressing
   Listening to Christian podcast
   Thinking about a mid morning snack
   Fixing same
   Do we need anything from the store?
   Go there
   Lunch is coming, what to have?
   Putting lunch out
   Let's read a book
   How about a car ride?
   Or just around the condo area in the wheelchair?
   Uh oh, time for an ice cream snack in mid afternoon
   What will we have for our main meal, supper?
   Prepare that meal and eat it
   Turn on news, which we taped earlier
   Get through most of it, then decide to go to bed
   Showers, dental hygiene
   Get dressed for bed
 
   Then as you drift off to sleep, you remember that this will also be your schedule tomorrow, and, with some minor interruptions and activities, your go to schedule for future days as well.

   So, what about Syria? The President, an Earthquake, a School incident?

   They seem to fall into line behind, "what do I need at the store?".

   Could be "the tyranny of the urgent".

   It seems to me that the mind of the caregiver is filled up to the brim with "care".

   I guess I will have to leave the other stuff to those who have time to think.

   And, as I think about what I am writing, my hat is off to those moms, and sometimes dads, who do the same things multiple times per day depending on the number of kids in the house. Amazing!

   Speaking of care, we are beginning next week with a nurse one time a week and an aide two times. This will bring some relief, if even for an hour, for three days in the week.

   But I doubt I will be going in the den and turning on the news for that respite time.

   It is the least I can do, for all the years my wife has taken care of me, and everything else. She deserves her ice cream, and she shall have it.

   My mission in life for these days is to take care of my wife, and regardless of news stories and opinions, that is what I will do.

  And we will pray a lot...