Nothing New Under the Sun

Lately I've been saying the phrase, "there is nothing NEW under the sun" (Ecclesiastes 1:9). Even my husband noticed it and said something about it the other day. But you know what, the older I get the more I see that what happens to us has already happened to someone before us and will probably happen to someone after us.

This thought brought to mind an aunt of mine. She is now in her sixties. This aunt has lived with chronic pain for years (fibromyalgia). As far as I can remember I know she was always being seen by doctors trying to figure out what was wrong with her. Around my house I would hear that she must be crazy cause she sought out a psychologist. Later, as an adult, I found out that in Mexico this type of doctor was the only one treating fibromyalgia and they were the only one who could prescribe the medicine that she needed to be able to function (boy, was family wrong!). Way back then she took care of my grandmother. Grandmother was not an easy person to love nor, I'm sure, to take care of. I never remember any of her sisters (2 aunts and Mom) helping her and taking Gradma in for any length of time. In fact, I don't even remember them taking her for a day. I do remember visits to Grandmas house and how my aunt (the caregiver) would always be drilled as to "what she was doing wrong or what she needed to change or this or that about Grandma". After Grandma passed away I thought my auntie, who was still young, would marry (she has never married), but no she remained single. Then she ended up being her brother's caregiver. My uncle (who also never married) suddenly became really ill. She was the only one who took the initiative to start caring for him. Once again, my aunt was told how to do this or that by her sisters. Did her sisters pitch in? Of course not, but they had plenty of advise for how she should do things. In fact, even after my uncle passed away her sisters still had lots of criticism as to how my auntie cared for their brother. Then one of my aunts (her sister) took ill. I can tell you what, my aunt was ready to care for her sister, but family took over. Now my aunt, I believe, is finally "living". She has found a doctor who has been treating her with success and I believe she is having a good quality life now.

All this to say that when I can't understand this chronic pain or all these issues with caregiving, I know that I can talk to my dear auntie and sometimes without a word she "totally" understands. Sometimes I simply say one word and she can finish my entire thought. At times I don't even say anything and she is just there for me.

Now this is not to say that my aunt is the only one there for me, because the Lord has brought other dear caregivers that have enhanced and challenged me to know end. I was just thinking of how much my dear auntie has been through and how precious she is to me. And that because of the things that she has been through, she is who she is. I've heard I saying that says something like, "your trials will either make you bitter or better". I can tell you that my auntie imparts words of wisdom because she knows, she's been there and has lived it. Pray for my auntie, that God would give her a beautiful sunset.