Balanced Caregivers What?
Adventure! No meeting Friday, April 17 because I'm on one.
Life is an adventure. Whether you are at home caregiving today, at work wondering how you’re going to get home in time to take your spouse to their doctor appointment, sitting in the carline waiting to pick up your child from school, or on a long-awaited trip, you are an adventurer.
Merriam-Webster defines “adventure” as a) an undertaking usually involving danger and unknown risks, b) an exciting or remarkable experience, and c) an enterprise involving financial risk.
I would say that pretty much describes caregiver life. I often associate adventure with something positive, but it doesn’t need to.
Amy’s Big Adventure
I am currently in New York City with my mom. I won’t give away her age, but I’m 55 so she’s better than 60!
A classmate of hers, also better than 60 (oh all right, they’re better than 80!) is currently performing as Teacher Cecilia in the opera Innocence at the Metropolitan Opera of New York.
Some of their classmates came together in NYC to see the opera, and I received an invitation as an alumna of the same college. We’re making a mother-daughter trip of it.
This is a “capital ‘A’ Adventure!”
Two things can be true
In the midst of it, however, I’m experiencing a “little ‘a’ adventure” with my vision.
Upon getting out of the airplane yesterday, I thought I had a spot on my glasses. I kept trying to clean it off to no avail. I eventually realized that I have a new “floater.”
I’ve had these before that I only notice when I’m looking into the sky outdoors. No big whoop. This new one looks like a fly zooming by my left eye when I look that direction. A little whoop.
Aging, am I right? Add my left eye to the list of casualties - my right knee, my left elbow, and now my eye. None are debilitating, all are annoying. So what are my choices?
Seeing as I’m in New York City about to meet with a gaggle of octagenarian alumni who have certainly had many many adventures and are out there having more, I think I just hang with it.
I’m getting older, and it beats the alternative.
What adventures are you up? Big A and little a - both count.
What is Grace Notes?
Grace Notes is the Balanced Caregivers Adventure community singing group. We laugh a lot, and sometimes we sing. We won’t meet tomorrow since I’m out of town, but we will meet next Friday, April 24, 2026.
There is an online option, too! Join as a paid subscriber to receive the weekly Zoom code.
My name is Amy Standridge. I am a Board-Certified Music Therapist, Certified Humor Professional, Keynote Speaker, and a life adventurer. I believe that caregivers and their loved ones deserve to experience joyful moments together. My mission is to empower families living with complex needs to rediscover joy and hope through uplifting experiences. This is why I created Balanced Caregivers Adventure..
