A way of thinking to heal the fatigue of caregiving and nursing

From a broader perspective, it may be that almost no one goes through life without having a sick person in their family. Illness, accidents, unforeseen disasters, and the deaths that follow are things that can be seen at various points in life. These can lead people to the depths of profound sorrow.

Families that are actually caring for a sick person are likely to be very dark.

However, I believe we should not focus too strongly on just that dark side.

Humans are beings whose souls, which are the essence, reside in physical bodies to undergo training. Even if the body suffers from illness, when the soul departs this world and returns to the other world, it will regain its original, complete form.

The suffering from illness is merely a manifestation that appears during the training on this earth and is not permanent.

Even if it seems like hellish suffering to the eyes, when one escapes from the physical body and becomes the soul itself, they can enter a state of complete freedom.

Given this, even if one suffers from illness and eventually becomes a person who does not return, what happens after death is far more important. This world is, after all, a "preparation period for returning to the other world" and a "preview for returning to the other world."

Therefore, no matter what problems arise, it is important to think of that event or matter in a way that is beneficial for your soul. This is what is desired for both the caregiver and the patient being cared for.

From Ryuho Okawa's book 'The True Relationship Between Mind and Body.' open_in_new

I do not intend to whip the families who are tired from caregiving. However, in the harsh environment of having a sick family member, how cheerfully, brightly, and hopefully you can live becomes a trial to illuminate your souls.

When you think about it, when metal is being sanded, it may seem like it is screaming in pain, but afterwards, it shines brilliantly. There are also woods that become shiny after being sanded. The wood grain may feel painful if it had human-like feelings while being rubbed repeatedly with something rough, but once it passes that period, it can become a beautifully shining material.

Life is the same. When you think of all suffering and sorrow as sandpaper to shine the soul, you can endure anything.

Rather, it is often during such times of sorrow that a religious leap occurs. It is at such times that humans seek salvation and can make a significant leap in the realm of the soul.

Therefore, do not use the presence of a sick person as an excuse for your own misfortune, but rather be grateful that you have been given the opportunity for soul training because of that sick person, and work on your own heart's training within that.

From Ryuho Okawa's book 'How to Attain Happiness.' open_in_new

When a family member is sick, it makes one reflect on "what it means to give love, to serve, and to be devoted," so I believe this is indeed an opportunity to learn the heart of dedication to others.

Love is fundamentally accompanied by "patience and tolerance."

It is easy to love someone only when they are in good condition, for example, to love a husband only when he is well or to love a wife only when she is beautiful, but it is quite difficult to continue loving when the husband fails at work or when the wife's beauty declines.

However, the heart of patience and tolerance that still seeks to love is what underpins love.

The same goes for the sick. If misfortune occurs among those who have been getting along as a family, it is important to watch over it patiently.

From Ryuho Okawa's book 'The True Relationship Between Mind and Body.' open_in_new

The family members who are caregiving may feel some obligation to reciprocate, or it may be that "one day they too will be cared for," but that is also a practice of love. Enduring is also a practice of love.

From Ryuho Okawa's book 'The True Relationship Between Mind and Body.' open_in_new

Women must recognize that their calling includes the roles of doctors and nurses. This can be considered a form of love action or bodhisattva action that women can perform.

From this perspective, the idea that "when a sick person appears in the family, the housewife has no choice but to do her best" arises. You may wonder, "Why must I endure such hardship?" but housewives are originally in a position to work as doctors and nurses within the family, so they are, in a sense, professionals.

When a sick person comes, if a doctor says, "Why must I treat this patient?" it would be the end of their business. Similarly, if a nurse says, "Why must I bandage this patient?" they would not be able to do their job. Such work is included in the profession of housewives.

Companies have articles of incorporation that state their business purposes, and the "corporation" of housewives also has business purposes. Among these are child-rearing, health management, nutrition management, and also fulfilling the roles of doctors and nurses in times of need.

Therefore, I would like you to understand that "caring for the sick is a job that comes with being a housewife."

From Ryuho Okawa's book 'The Syndrome of Not Being Able to Be Happy.' open_in_new

The teachings introduced above are included in the following book.

From the popular radio program of Happy Science, 'Angel's Morning Call' open_in_new (national network + Hawaii KZOO), we introduce programs from past broadcasts that we hope you will listen to now. (You can listen to it in audio.)

(1) 'Let's Free Ourselves from Irritation' open_in_new [Episode 1028]
(2) 'Let's Start with Giving Love' open_in_new [Episode 1134]