The grinding wheel of life.  Feeling guilt; the guilt trip.  The protective coccoon.

Sympathy

Thinking about the ability of people to be sympathetic to another's difficulties.  There are people who react differently either that they have all the problems and they cannot sympathize with another, or perhaps they are religious and take the 'god is punishing you' position, or perhaps that we have to 'heal' with our healing touch etc.

One thing (m.) and the kids don't get to know, and the kids will need to know: Grannie is 92 and bed ridden for a long time; caring and knowing her, how to feed her, clean, her moods and sleep patterns, going to the bathroom, etc. (now hospice care. An article about hospice care in the New Yorker Magazine July 11 & 18). Because (m.) has not seen this type of parent/relative death and participated in it (her parents died relatively quickly) the kids will need this experience because their own parents will go through it, likely ((m.) and myself for example).
started 'toddmarjournal.blogspot.com'