Coming to Terms

She stared at the question “do you feel, down, depressed, or helpless?” She wanted to know what helpless meant. She asked her husband in Spanish “What is helpless?” He tried to explain the best he knew to describe a term he didn’t want her to feel. She paused with thought and circled “yes” next to the question. She had decided the explanation of helpless was applicable. I carefully implored into the extent of her feeling down, and her husband translated my concern with his own tone of care. She started to speak, but then began to cry. Without any more words from her, he explained lately she had felt useless. “Useless in what way?” I asked. He explained the best he could while fighting back his own disappointment. She couldn’t keep the house in order; she couldn’t keep it clean because she was too tired. She felt useless because she was too tired to fulfill her role, too tired to be the wife she wanted to be. I wanted to put my arms around her and assure her that she never has to feel useless. It’s such a strong word. Instead I explained to her that during this time she would be tired, and she is allowed to be tired. I told her to take pride in being tired; she would be doing more work in one day than she could even imagine. I showed her the picture. “Do you see this picture?” I asked her. She heavily nodded yes with tear-filled eyes. "You are making life; you are the home of a precious child." Don’t you know how useful you are? You are a home to life.