Reflections – Kate Ball

I look at myself and wonder; is this the life I was meant to have?

Is there more? Should I have done more?

If another path had revealed itself would I have walked that path? Would my choices have been different?

It’s OK to wonder, but the truth is decisions you made before were right for you in that moment.  Forces around you draw you in and influence you, and even when a part of you may have a doubt, sometimes a situation or a person or a feeling, can completely overwhelm you and in that moment your pathway is chosen.

Sometimes I think we would all do well to have a very loud siren in our head that alerts us before we commit. Sadly we do not.

So, we live out the next chapter, whether it’s good or bad. At some point we reach another fork in the road, and we get to take our lives in another direction if we want to.

Life certainly has a knack of lulling us from one emotion to another, one experience to another, from one person to another. Some good, some bad, some happy, some sad, some devastating and some utterly euphoric. 

We may think we should have made different choices, but if we had we would not be the person we see when we look at ourselves. 

Our reflections are reflections of a life lived. Our experiences have made us the person we are today.  There is no going back, and there is too much life ahead to have regrets.

Some of our younger carers have only really started their journey.  Care has come into their lives early.  What can care give them?

CARERS:

• Commitment – strive for excellence, and always try to improve

• Accessibility – reach out to clients and colleagues and embrace their differences

• Respect – treat people with dignity and understanding

• Empathy – communicate sensitively with people

• Recognition – value our clients strengths and potential and support them

• Service – to promote and support independence

For those of us who are older, much older (!), care has come into our lives late.  What can care give us?

Exactly the same!

We may have more of life’s experiences to add into the mix,  but Care Giving is still a massive learning curve and a massive and humbling journey.

No matter how I look at things, I think for me, I have accepted, finally,  that everything that was, was meant to be. It is all part of my life’s journey.

I arrived at yet another crossroads more than 8 years ago,  and this time my path led me to Abicare.

In another year or so,  another fork in the road will present itself to me; will I take another path?.. No not entirely. I have pretty much arrived at my destination in the workplace, and will stay here for as long as I can. 

What about our younger carers?

What exciting journey’s do they have ahead?

ACTUALLY, who knows? Not even they know!…Their future isn’t written yet.

What is wonderful though, no matter where life leads them, for now they are family,  part of our Abicare family.  Their experiences here with us will influence them later, it will touch them in ways they can’t imagine right now. Abicare will have played an important part in who they become in their future.

Perhaps we can play a part in your future?

Our door is always open and we invite anyone who is interested to learn more about Community Caring to contact us!

“Our ABICARE family is waiting to welcome you”.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO FLY THE FLAG FOR CARE?