Day Three: The Arc of Transformation The path of caregiving carries both ache and resilience. These stages are not linear. You may move back and forth between them, sometimes holding more than one at once. Shock or Disruption: This is not the life I expected. Grief and Loss: I ache for the lost relationship with my child. I am seeking, listening, waiting, crying. Resistance: I feel anger, confusion, or reluctance. I do not want this path. Adjustment: I begin to form new rhythms, though the weight is still heavy. Growth: I notice strength I did not know I had and I can show up for my grandchild. Legacy: I am shaping something lasting for my grandchild, even though grief may remain part of me. Prompt: Which of these speaks to me most clearly today? How does it show up in my thoughts, my body, or my spirit?