The Only Thing That Counts

Do you ever feel like Sisyphus? In Greek mythology, Sisyphus was punished by the gods and ordered to roll a huge boulder up a hill in Hades, only to watch it tumble down again. He repeated the cycle day after day for eternity.

Such repetitive and unending activity parallels the daily caregiving chores many of us face. We work hard at providing care, only to have to start over again the next day. Sometimes it feels like we’re accomplishing nothing with our lives—yet that work needs to be done.

How can we find value in the duty of caring for someone else? By recognizing that caregiving is an act of love. Love is valuable even in the drudgery of daily tasks. The gift of caring for someone else has no price—it is priceless.

Mother Teresa wrote, “We do not strive for spectacular actions. What counts is the gift of yourself, the degree of love you put into each of your deeds.”

God sends His love for us and through us for others. The only outcome that matters in our daily work, no matter how small or repetitive, is expressing God’s priceless love.