Caring for someone who struggles to care for themself

Today we are addressing a topic that’s universally challenging in close human relationships: How do you care for someone who struggles to care for themself? What if your belief in them is greater than their belief in themself?To address these questions, we are speaking with Katie Thornber, of Los Angeles, who bravely shares a very personal journey she went through with her late father, and how she used her Buddhist practice to support him through the toughest time of his life.This story is an incredible example of the Buddhist principle of the oneness of life and its environment.CHEAT SHEET1:09 Introduction to Katie and how she started practicing SGI Nichiren Buddhism4:13 A little bit about her family and their experience with the financial crisis6:05 How she decided to approach the situation 10:30 What her dad was going through11:45 Why she turned to chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo at this time14:58 How she saw herself and her environment begin to change19:25 Her dad’s health challenges and what it took to get him to a doctor24:41 How he opened up to her27:03 Why change always begins within27:54 What Katie came to believe in30:56 What freedom means in Buddhism41:53 What the experience was like for Katie’s mom45:50 How this experience impacted other aspects of her life49:31 Advice to anyone who is struggling to support someone they care for51:02 Words from Buddhist philosopher Daisaku Ikeda that Katie holds on to References:Video: The oneness of life and environment explainedQuote: Discussions on Youth, p. 27