Sometimes we crave clarity but it’s just not there.
A television show I tend to watch is called “Hoarders,” a show about hoarders who live inside homes overflowing with objects and trash they never throw away. Compulsive hoarding is a terrible disease that deserves compassion. By the time the professionals from the show are called, the hoarding is out of control and hoarders’ lives are unmanageable. What I always wonder is what preceded the hoarding? Could they have caught it early, before the pattern was set?
While hoarding is relatively rare, the pattern of waiting until behaviors get out of control is more common. For example, you may have elderly parents who have lost the ability to care for themselves. Unfortunately, there is a good chance that you will be called upon to evaluate whether someone in your family is able to care for themselves.
What if we catch the pattern early and get ahead of the care? What if we can identify how to gain control of other patterns before they get out of hand? During Shabbat on Friday, June 16, at 7:00 p.m., in our series on Wisdom Lists, you will gain some insights you can use when loved ones might be losing the ability to live on their own. We hope to see you for this important discussion!
L’Shalom,
Rabbi Diamond