Have you ever heard this term, “Sandwich Generation?” If not, let me enlighten you. It refers to the phenomenon where people in a certain age group are simultaneously taking care of their own children, while also caring for their aging parents. Hence, they’re “sandwiched” between both sets of responsibilities. It’s not an easy place to be.
I’ve experienced one of those “bread slices” as I cared for my elderly mom and two elderly aunts who had no children. It was truly exhausting as I was responsible for virtually every aspect of their lives. I sometimes look back on that and wonder how I made it through to the other side. But I know it was clearly God’s strength helping me every day.
So I can’t imagine combining that with the equally or more all-encompassing task of raising your own family.
This may sound like another thought-provoking blog post, but I think we need a break from those and find a little humor in our lives. God knows, literally, that we need it!
As you may know, I’ve been playing nursemaid to my two dogs, Winnie and Maisy. Winnie had fairly major knee surgery a few weeks ago and still has a long recovery ahead of her. And of course, “no running, jumping, or playing.” Right…
During this recovery period, Maisy was spayed and had her own 10-day recovery period with the same restrictions.
This has required an inordinate amount of patience, stamina, diligence, consistency, and persistence as I try to protect both girls from potential harm.
It means taking each dog out on leash for every potty break individually. And carrying them both up and down the deck steps. It means a variety of medication to be administered and “range of motion” exercises to do and cold pack applications.
It means kenneling one or both dogs for weeks at a time to prevent any post-surgery damage. It means moving both kennels into my bedroom at night so they can be in the same room with me, and then moving them both back to the family room in the morning.
It means breaking up any play that becomes too vigorous as Maisy bounces back from her surgery [too] quickly.
Then it hit me this week. I AM the sandwich generation with my girls. Winnie will soon be 10, and Maisy just turned 7 months. I have a geriatric individual and a toddler. Both require my full attention, and I don’t have an option of neglecting my duties with either dog.
In a word, I’m EXHAUSTED! And yet, I can’t help but see the humor in this situation. Sometimes I want to pull my hair out and sell both girls to the highest bidder. (Tried, but got no takers…) Other times, I laugh at their antics and realize how very deeply I love them both.
Of course, I will do everything I can to take care of my sweet girls. It’s what I signed on for when I brought each of them home. Did I know exactly what was in store for me? No way! But does any parent or child?
So for any of you out there who feel sandwiched between two equally important sets of responsibilities, you aren’t alone.
I know my example with my dogs pales in comparison to what some of you are struggling with. But there are a few things we all have in common:
It’s no accident that we are now responsible for those in greater need than us. God has placed us in these situations for his purposes. Chances are pretty high that he will grow us through this. We should consider it a privilege to affect the lives of those entrusted to us with kindness and wisdom.
And here’s a popular theme – the strength to do this well, and to do it for as long as it takes, comes from none other than God Himself.
So whether our “charges” are two-footed or four-footed, may God help us finish well and be cheerful on our journey!
Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts,
kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.
Colossians 3:12