Wearing Yourself Out for a Good Cause
Agi met up with a good friend a few days ago who she hadn't seen in seven years. This young woman is several years older than Agi and has been something of a mentor during college. Her friend is smart (PhD) and has similar values and outlook on life (her friend is Catholic). It turns out that her six year old daughter is severely autistic and the work caring for her child is all-consuming and harder than anything we could imagine. The way she loves her daughter and seeks to give her the best life possible is nothing short of heroic. All day long, from morning to night, she's working with her daughter with occasional help from others. It's also incredibly taxing and these two parents who are basically our age have been beaten up beyond their years. In addition, because their daughter can't handle changes of scenery all that well, this means they don't travel anywhere as a family. But the parents do make sure to get out by themselves once each week.
This all has been very sobering for us and we've been seeing more and more how difficult the lives of many (most?) people are. However, we've also taken comfort from the fact that we know that there is nothing more worthwhile than giving your life for a good cause. Being worn out for the good of your helpless child certainly qualifies.