Sainthood for caregivers.....

I wonder sometimes why most of what I read about caregivers online is limited to forums for them.

There isn't enough written about caregivers as models for sainthood.

Think about it. It's a profession (when done with the right motives/attitude), not a job, where a person acts on behalf of someone else as their eyes, hands, legs (fill in the blank) so the person with a disability can live a fuller and more productive life.

Have you ever helped someone in the grocery store? Perhaps a person in a wheelchair has asked for your help to reach something. Perhaps you said no and walked away. But chances are you probably retrieved it for her, gave it to her and went on your way.

Caregivers don't go on their way. They stay. For hours if necessary. And they come back, day after day.

They say yes.

If this isn't grounds for sainthood, I'm not sure what is. Some people tell me "It's their job". But it goes beyond that when caregiving is done as a profession. A professional caregiver knows how to :

*focus on the recipient's needs
* give personal space to the recipient , remaining nonjudgmental
* keep private personal information they know by virture of their presence

All of this requires a sense of spiritual maturity, a giving heart and an ability to set their own ego aside.

Of course I just answered my own question. The reason I don't see writings about or by professional caregivers is that they respect the privacy of the recipients.

And this is a tough standard. But they are out there.

And by the grace of God, I have one. I thank her from the bottom of my heart.