Persist to Exist

 As I was visiting his church last week, a recently widowed man realized that the woman who had cared for his wife was someone I knew, and might see later that day. He asked me to share with her some very high praise. The caregiver, he said, was an amazingly patient and persistent person. His wife in her last several months had been difficult for caregivers, especially when it came to eating anything. My friend would prepare and bring her meals. "I don't want it, take it away." was the response. OK. Fifteen minutes later our friend would come back with the same warm food. "You need to eat, __. Your husband and children need you to." "No! Take it away." Fifteen minutes later the caregiver would bring the meal again perhaps with a new garnish. "Take it away!" But by the third or fourth or fifth time of gentle persistence, his wife would say, "OK," and would eat.

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