Caregivers and Jurisdiction

In the 1985 Western Silverado, Sheriff John Langston (played by British actor John Cleese) obligingly led a posse after two brothers following the breakout of one from the town jail. While chasing the men (whose crimes were questionable), the posse rounded a bend to unexpected gunfire from one of the brothers' companions. As his deputy urged them to push on by yelling, "… they're almost out of our jurisdiction," a bullet clipped the sheriff's hat and sent it flying.  Turning his horse around, Cleese states in his wonderfully clipped British accent, "Today, my jurisdiction ends here!" Returning to town, Sheriff Langston lived to fight another day.  Sometimes, our jurisdiction as caregivers requires reassessing. Many can recall feeling pressure (either from others or ourselves) to "right a wrong," seek satisfaction or try to force an issue. Yet that pressure can lead us outside our scope of responsibility. Leaving our territory can easily result in unpleasant circumstances – for us, our loved ones, and others. At times, the temptation to chase after the "…ones that got away" can feel compulsory. In those moments, we serve ourselves well by asking, "How important is this?'  Addressing that question helps reestablish our jurisdiction – and can allow us to fight another day. "You got to know when to hold 'em, Know when to fold 'em, Know when to walk away, And know when to run." – The Gambler, Don Schlitz