Care-Taking

Care-taking means giving care to someone in a co-dependent manner. It means I “give,” but I have an expectation of getting something in return, such as recognition, praise, or “making” the other person meet my needs. Being willing and prepared to give care (rather than to take care) is not an easy task. Giving care, instead of taking care (care-taking), is contingent on our ability to emotionally and spiritually fill ourselves. It takes real emotional work, and it involves our whole emotional, spiritual, and physical being. One of the fruits of the effort, however, is the ability to genuinely connect, give care, and forge deep, loving, lasting bonds with others. Deep relationships are what many of us want; learning the skills to create them for ourselves and others is worth every effort.