Taking care

Whatawhata, NZ

Ngarunui Beach was a short trip from the Airbnb and worth it a thousand percent.

Fiona owns the small house we’re staying at tonight on their little farm. The place shares a short, gravel driveway with her home and the chickens live right out our front door. Fiona’s parents used to live here in this house until her mother’s dementia demanded more care than she and her husband could provide. Her folks now live in a care home a “quarter of an hour” away. It’s only been a month or so since she started renting out this place but she says it’s been really busy. She joked how she’ll have to block off times on the Airbnb for when her dad wants to come and stay for a visit.

It got me thinking. From caring to children to caring for parents, the time of our lives when those closest to us are thriving independently is desperately short.