Recently Blaine and I watched a film currently on Netflix, called "The Fundamentals of Caring" based off a novel titled, The Fundamentals of Caregiving.
Though I have yet to read the book, the film is one everyone should watch, especially if you happen to know someone who lives with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy or know a parent of a child with DMD.
After watching the film, so many things have been going on in my already crazy little mind.
One, the harsh reality of the disease both of my boys suffer from.
and
Two, the harsh reality that so many of us lack the basic fundamentals of caring for others.
And it got me thinking about what it really even means to care for someone, especially someone not in our immediate family and completely different from us.
I think its tough to answer because I think the fundamentals of caring are a bit different from person to person.
I mean, we all grew up with the nagging sound of our moms voices yelling, "Do to others, what you want others to do to you..." RIGHT?
And if you follow Jesus, you always rethink about those bracelets with the letters, W.W.J.D.?
right?
amen.
and im almost certain, no mom or Jesus needed, we have all heard the saying, (which comes from the Bible FYI) "Love Your Neighbor As Yourself..." right?
with these perfect little statements, we all should be so good at caring for others, right?
wrong.
Because when we really sit down to think about truly caring for someone, in a way that is so selfless, it becomes self help...than it becomes so much more then
JUST doing to others, or
JUST thinking about what Jesus would do, or
JUST loving your neighbor...
it becomes part of who we are, as people, instead of JUST what is expected of us as humans.
caring for someone is an action, it is many actions, no words are needed.
when we are truly caring for someone, we are changing who we are.
from the inside out.
when we are truly caring for someone,
we are putting ourselves completely aside,
doing things we dont want to do, at inconvenient times, with no reward.
when truly caring for someone,
We are evolving.
We are changing.
We are doing.
And in THAT caring, everything changes.
A few weeks ago, I heard this, "Live in a way, so that no one has to lie at your funeral."
ya, no judgement here, its kinda harsh though, right?
but boy does in bring in what it means to truly care for others, doesnt it?
I have been at many funerals, and I have heard amazing things about some amazing people, but I have also heard the sound of silence of those not so 'amazing' and I cant help but wonder what those people must have been like, how those people must have cared for others, clearly they must have JUST been checking those boxes, remembering a bunch of perfect little statements, using words, not actions....makes you wonder, right?
So now,
I know, when I die, I dont want anyone to have to lie about me,
I know, I dont want the silence to be louder than the noise,
And I for sure know, that when I die, i want people to say, despite having very little who cared for her, she understood the fundamentals for caring for all of those around her.
and I hope the same for you.
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