That breath of air comes when I’m in my garden; my hands in the dirt, the sun on my face, watching life quietly unfurl itself. It doesn’t erase the caregiving journey I’m walking — it simply gives me a moment to breathe on my own.

When you’re dealing with a serious, ongoing, or life-limiting health issue, you don’t need someone who’s just checking boxes or following a flowchart. You need someone who gets you — the real you — not just the patient sitting in front of them.

I know people mean well when they say it. They're trying to offer comfort, trying to wrap a hard situation in something that sounds like strength and hope.