NOW OR LATER?
“Now and Later” is the name of a favorite candy from my Childhood. Along with Jolly Ranchers and SweetTarts that is.
Today as my Mother’s Caregiver, with one word difference it has a very different meaning; it has become a constant question…
NOW OR LATER?
“To do it now or to do it later?” That is the question. That is the question I ask myself all throughout the day as my Mother’s Caregiver.
Should I do the dishes now or leave them to wash later?
Should I take the trash out now or should I do it later?
Speaking of the trash and dishes. I simply do not understand how my Mother generates so many dishes and so much trash. It is never-ending.
Right after I have washed a sink full of dishes, they pile up again. How many coffee cups must she use in one day? How many knives, forks and glasses does one person need to eat three meals a day? Despite her chagrin and my dismay, I have begun using paper plates. There was a time in the not so distance past when my Mother would have frowned upon using disposable plates—even at an outdoor picnic or BBQ, Times have definitely changed! I simply had to figure out a way to reduce the number of dishes that I wash in a day!
I happen to be the type of person who would prefer not to leave dishes in the sink. And words cannot explain how much I miss having a dishwasher. Perhaps, I am a tad OCD, but I find it difficult to leave dishes in the sink, especially overnight. Therefore, I find myself washing dishes multiple times per day. Because when I ask myself the question, “Do it now or do it later?” when it comes to the dishes, I opt for now.
And about the trash. How many Depends does it take to fill up a Hefty kitchen trash bag? Much like the question, “How many licks does it take to get to the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie-pop?” The world may never know! And I do not have the slightest idea. I just know that no less than 3 times per day, I transfer the Depends from the bathroom basket to the kitchen trash can. The kitchen trash fills up rather quickly and that requires me to empty the trash. Once again, when trying to decide whether to do it now or do it later, I usually chose now.
And sometimes while completing these activities, I actually chant, “Do it now or do it later. Do it now or do it later. Do it now or do it later.” It sounds a little crazy, I know, but it seems to help.
It helps me to accept the ultimate reality that whether I do it now or I do it later, I am the one who is going to do it—I must complete the task at hand.
Because as my Mother’s Caregiver, there is always a task at hand.
Therefore, the correct answer to the question obviously is, “Do it Now AND Later!”–just like the Candy.
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