sandwich

I grew up eating sandwiches.  I carried a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with me to school almost everyday for the first 6 years!  I still like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. 

But I heard of the word "sandwich" being used in another way.  It refers to a generation that is caring for children and aging parents at the same time. 

It's like Dad and Mom are the peanut butter and jelly.  (I think I would be the peanut butter and Dena would be the jelly...she is more soft and oozy)

Our kids (Michael and Becky in this case) would be the bottom layer of bread.  Dena's father would be the top layer of bread. (our elders deserve our respect and so of course the top piece of bread is only fitting)

Notice how the peanut butter and jelly start to spill over and out the edges of the sandwich.  That's cause someone applies pressure to the two slices of bread and Dad and Mom both start to ooze out and down.  Not UP but down like on the kids.  Is there symbolism there....I don't know I just like the ooze of peanut butter and jelly!! 

NOTE: Our children are not "children" any longer.  They are grown and independent adults.  They are all in their 20's at various second digits. However, we do have an aging parent living in our home.

The term sandwich crossed my mind out of two needs that have recently surfaced and their timing.  A new baby has been born 8 weeks premature to our son and his wife and Dena's elderly father has fallen down.  Both (the baby and father) are in the hospital for special care.  Both took place less than 24 hrs. apart.  Both (our son and wife and Dena's father) need our help at this time but the distance between them is about 550 miles.

I think Dena feels this "sandwich" more than I do.  She is a mother with a mother's heart and a grandmother's heart. This heart is full!  She loves being a mother and grandmother and wants to be with them! She is also the daughter of a wonderful and loving father who adores her and whom she adores.  She wants to be with him too.


So she is sandwiched between two needs and cannot meet the needs of both because of distance.  And so "sandwich" takes on another meaning like in "sandwich spread!"  We will spread ourselves and try to care for both needs the best we can.


With all this talk of food I'm suddenly hungry and it's almost lunch time...I think I'll go make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.