Dear gillybob
I can't get you out of my mind. I have re-read the thread.
I need to lie down but before I go, please let me say this. I am rather scared to say it so I need to do it while I have the courage.
As I read all this thread, I kept seeing you. You looked exactly like the wonderful lady we all had at my Church (Salvation Army). She was slim, lovely to look at but above all she did everything she could possibly do in every possible way in our Church. She was kindness itself. Her husband was just retired so she retired from her work but was not quite retirement age. The Salvation Army has so many different clubs, groups, posts, outreaches... and she was involved in them all. We also helped the Police with the rescuing of girls being trafficked into the sex slave trade. She was trained to go and help rescue these girls too. She was so perfect, you'd think we'd hate her! But she had no enemies, everybody loved her. She knew exactly what to say when someone was ill, bereaved or getting married! She never missed a service she was never ill.
Suddenly one day she collapsed with a heart attack! She died. Just like that. No warning.
We became acutely aware of all the things she did because there was a huge gap in our church. Some people did not even know she did other things. She covered so much that we would sit and wait and then realise that it was another thing she had been in charge of.
She was not yet retirement age. She had several grandchildren, one with disabilities whom she helped so much.
We had to carry on. We had to realise that nobody is indispensable. People are taken for granted, not indispensable.
The bossy bit:
Stop, Gilly! Stop doing all this now! Plan your retirement and start living your life. Never lie on behalf of your spineless sister again, please.
Please Gilly. We want you here in your 80s, 90s and to wish you a Happy Hundredth!
Try the Youtube Stephanie Lyn Boundaries talks, perhaps, and learn what it really means to have boundaries. It starts with valuing yourself. You can't teach others to treat you with respect and fairness if you do not respect and are not fair to yourself. I had to learn this. Please do it. As you age you will be forced to learn it. Don't let a health scare force you into making these essential changes for yourself. Don't be in a hospital bed thinking you can't do all this running about any more. Worse of all, please don't be like the wonderful lady at my Church.
With very much love, please value yourself, from Elle x
? ??♂️? ? ?? ????♀️