A New Song

Wind chimes make beautiful music. The clapper bounces among the metal pipes, creating a magical tinkling sound. Without action and interaction, the chimes would be silent. Movement and collision are essential to the wind chimes’ song.

Sometimes the words action and interaction, movement and collision describe a caregiver’s life. We take actions of various sorts and interact with not only our loved ones but all the medical, social service, and legal people involved in their care. We’re in constant movement and often collide with the challenges that caregiving pose: We attempt an outing but our patient gets sick and can’t go. We set aside money for a future surprise but medical necessities demand that we spend it now. We try a new cutting-edge remedy but our loved one’s health deteriorates.

When our efforts are thwarted by barriers, we can fret and complain—or, at the point of collision, we can sing a song of surrender. The words go something like this: Lord, I don’t understand, but Your will be done.

With each ping of surrender, our lives—like those wind chimes—become a unique and poignant song that pleases God.