Weekend Warrior: The Sacred Balance of Giving and Rest
This weekend, I traded my microphone for a paintbrush and my
podcast chair for a deck ramp. My wife Sheila and I headed to her mother’s
house to stain the deck before winter crept in. Her mom wanted to lay down
anti-slip pads on the ramp to make it safer in rain and snow, and we were there
to help prep the space.
We started early Saturday, but the sun had other plans—it
beamed down on the exact spot I chose to stain, turning our good intentions
into a four-hour sweat session.
By the time we got home, our backs were aching, and our
bodies were begging for mercy. I may have done more complaining than Sheila
(okay, definitely more), but after a short rest, I decided to cut the grass
too. The sun was setting, the breeze was gentle, and something in me said,
“Keep going.”
Sunday morning, I told Sheila to stay home and rest. I went
back to her mom’s house and finished the staining job. Meanwhile, her mom laid
down the anti-slip pads herself—determined, resourceful, and full of grit. And
now? Her ramp is safe. Her path is secure. And my heart is full.
Did I overdo it? Absolutely.
Was it worth it? Without
question.
Rest is vital—especially for those of us living with brain
injuries. But so is purpose. So is love. So is showing up for the people who’ve
shown up for us.
There will be days when I need to rest and take care of Rob.
But there are only so many days I’ll get to take care of others. That’s the
sacred balance. It’s not easy. It’s not perfect. And it’s definitely not for
the faint of heart.
I’ll admit—I struggle to let others care for me. I’m
stubborn. I push through. I wear my hard-headedness like a badge, even when it
weighs me down. But I’m learning. I’m growing. I’m a work in progress.
And aren’t we all?
So, here’s to the weekend warriors. The caregivers. The
survivors. The ones who give even when they’re tired, and rest when they
finally remember they deserve it. We may be bruised, but we’re not broken.
We’re rewired—and we’re still writing the story.