In the beginning, they cared for us…and so may the Source of Creation, who parented the entire world, bless those of us whose hands now give comfort to the ones we call our parents. May we find patience, strength, and humor in hard times; may we have help from others when it is needed; may our fears and frustrations not overwhelm us; may we learn to live with stress and the hovering unknown. May our inner strength guide us through the difficulties of our parent’s age or illness and may we know a sense of satisfaction in these painful circumstances, for we are told to honor our mother and father. May we never forget that in the beginning, they cared for us…and that on the other end of life’s curve, we find ultimate honor in caring for them. In the end, we care for them.
“For Caregivers of Ailing or Aged Parents,” Copyright © 2008 by Anonymous, Siddur Sha’ar Zahav, page 42
Excerpted from SiddurLit. Order of prayers. The prayer book. Sha’ar Zahav. Copyright © 2009, Congregation Sha’ar Zahav, San Francisco, CA, reprinted with permission. All rights reserved. http://shaarzahav.org.
