Weekend at Big Bear

The respite she needed

- AUTUMN MCMINIMY

I opened the door of the motel room that Friday night, dropped my bag on the floor and sank onto the bed. Finally a chance to relax! Even though the Big Bear ski resort in the San Bernardino Mountains was just a two-hour drive from where I lived in Orange County, it felt like another world.

I needed this weekend away. As a full-time caregiver to my elderly mother, I was overwhelmed and exhausted. My social life had dwindled to nothing. I was worried about my chances of employment in the future. So when I saw a help wanted ad for seasonal work at the resort, I thought getting this part-time job for three months could be the answer to my prayers. A friend was willing to look in on my mom on weekends, and I would get a break from caregiving.