from book –

Preferring not to compromise, many of us run from pain. We succumb to flight or denial when we resist reality. Unless we want to hide under the covers, escape, check out or wither, we have no other choice but to accept circumstances.

Accepting what is occurring does not necessarily mean approving (condoning) of it. But strangely enough it is healthier. Then, the focus becomes transforming our own worry or sympathy into something worthwhile. We take action. For example, we volunteer, donate money, protest, transform our angst into art, fight for causes, start a new venture or go back to school. 

Meanwhile, we listen to our adult children but put duct tape on our mouths so we don’t sound judgmental, authoritarian or critical. Keeping our generational gap thoughts to ourselves is best after a certain age. We hire a caregiver to offset helping our parents. We seek coping mechanisms, skills and solutions to survive. We keep ourselves afloat, applying self-care so when friends, family or society need us, we are there, one hundred percent. For instance, firefighters relax, re-group and socialize outside the station, playing pool, golf or a friendly game of basketball. You can also delete appointments when you get overwhelmed.