You must never so much think as whether you like it or not, whether it is bearable or not; you must never think of anything except the need, and how to meet it.

—Clara Barton (1821-1902), founder of the American Red Cross

Clara Barton, December 31, 1903 By James E. Purdy (This image is available from the United States Library of Congress‘s Prints and Photographs divisionunder the digital ID cph.3b23025.This tag does not indicate the copyright status of the attached work. A normal copyright tag is still required. See Commons:Licensing for more information., Public Domain, Link

I found this quote on a flier given to me by a woman’s group organizer that I met when I gave a presentation on self-care for family caregivers at FSL in Phoenix. The flier featured Ms. Barton, who, it said, was a hospital caregiver in the American Civil War, a patient record keeper, and a teacher. “Known as ‘The Angel of the Battlefield,’ she is considered to be the most respected woman in American history for the tireless and dedicated services that she gave to wounded solders.”

I am noting this quote here on my blog because I want to remind myself of it. I feel like I used to have this mindset for the most part, but I have been struggling to maintain it lately. As always, when I write things here, they stick with me and help me in my life. Maybe it will help you too.