Jana Larking discovers her love for the elderly, and finds fulfillment in care giving. In this episode she shares how this process helped her to live the life she was created for.
Season 2 – EP 5
Click here for full transcript.
Love for the Elderly
There comes time in our lives when we realize that the years that we have left with our aging parents are growing fewer and our time together shorter. We willingly shift our schedules, plan dates and visits with our parents, to enjoy, for a little longer, their presence in our lives. Sometimes, we re-arrange our whole lives to become their caregivers.
In that shifting of our routines, another shift happens – we make space for reflection. We face mortality – our parents’ and our own. And if we don’t run, hide, numb or distract from the pain that comes with it, we are given a gift – a chance to examine our busyness, our priorities and our life’s goals.
Sometimes this process is hard. It brings up a lot of hurt and pain. It reminds us where we started from as children, brings up all the bruises and scars of growing up, and sheds light on where we are now. If we are willing to listen with an open heart, we will know what we need to change moving forward, so that at the end of our lives, we can say “If I had my life to live over, I’d do the same thing again” (as the song I sing in this episode goes).
I’ve known Jana Larkin for several years – she hosted our traveling troupe every time we performed in Chicagoland. Through our visits, we became friends, and my kids consider her home theirs. I’ve admired the gentleness, patience and great love with which she cared for her father-in-law who lived with them for the last three years of his life.
Often I wondered if Jana missed the action of running businesses, serving on boards of charity organizations, and putting her great talent as a businesswoman to work. Perhaps she did. But by choosing to give her time and energy to care giving, she opened up a space to discover who she is as a person and what her life is supposed to be about.
Song in this episode
“If I Had My Life To Live Over”
By Moe Jaffe, Larry Vincent and Henry Tobias. Published in 1939.
Shareables
Such a nice alternative to TV talk shows where everything has to be so witty and superficial. Nice to spend time with two fine people talking about truly meaningful things. AND a lovely song sung by a fantastic singer!
Thanks! Made my day!
Thank you for the beautiful insights into life beyond ourselves, and how reflecting upon these moments – pondering the experiences and learnings in our hearts, as Our Lady did; we can learn, come to understand ourselves better, be fed and grow in love and spiritually through these experiences — all to the glory of God.
Thank you for having taken the time to be still and listen to the voice within yourself that led you to bring to us these meaningful and inspiring programs. I was so touched by the sincerity and peaceful spirit of your guest. She and her husband have set a wonderful example. After watching and truly listening this evening, I am more determined to make this special time each day and to get back with the dedicated nuns,
the Missionaries of Charity (Mother Theresa’s order)
who regularly visit the elderly and sick. I have experienced great peace in just being with them as they
lovingly go about living out their vocation. I very much
needed this reminder tonight. May God bless both of you and your families.