Guest Post by Cecil Taylor

As if my wife, Sara, didn’t have enough maladies already, her vision has been disrupted. Weakened eye muscles have caused distortions affecting her depth perception and balance.

Foot problems give her poor balance to begin with, but her vision makes her even more wobbly. Fortunately, one eye has already been repaired, and the other undergoes surgery next month. We’re praying the eye issues disappear and the balance substantially improves.

For the last few months, Sara has needed help in public where the layout is unknown and the terrain uneven. She places her hand on my shoulder when she feels unsteady. We walk carefully along, paying particular attention to steps and curbs. I’m sure some people at our church only know us as that slow-walking couple with the wife leaning on the husband’s shoulder.

Sara prefers her right hand on my left shoulder, which has its own concerns predating her eye issues. When Sara leverages my shoulder, it hurts a bit, but I don’t say anything. I figure she is transferring some of her pain to become my pain.

That sentence symbolizes caregiving. When we provide a shoulder for our loved ones to lean on, they are transferring some of their discomfort to us to absorb.

Have you ever looked at your loved one and thought, “I would take away their pain myself if I could?” Well, figuratively speaking, we do this all the time. When they lean on us, we experience their aches within our own body or psyche.

It’s noble, sacrificial work. We are pain absorbers. Much like shock absorbers allow for a smoother car ride, perhaps our acceptance of a small piece of their agony creates a smoother experience for them.

A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.
Proverbs 11:25 NIV

Through his ministry, Cecil Taylor teaches Christians how to live a seven-day practical faith. To that end, he writes and delivers original books, videos, podcasts, blogs, and more. He also writes for Chicken Soup for the Soul and Guideposts. To learn more, visit Cecil Taylor Ministries and Unison Parenting.

Tracy Crump dispenses hope in her award-winning book, Health, Healing, and Wholeness: Devotions of Hope in the Midst of Illness. A former intensive care nurse, she cared for her parents and her mother-in-law and understands both the burdens and joys of caregiving. Her devotions have been featured in Guideposts books, The Upper Room, and many other publications, and she has contributed 28 stories to Chicken Soup for the Soul® books. She also conducts writing workshops, produces a newsletter for writers, and does freelance editing. But her most important job is Grandma to five completely unspoiled grandchildren.