Boundaries: A poem
This poem about boundaries is referenced in our webinar, Setting Boundaries for Healthy Relationships and Caregiver Self-Care.
By: Mary Oliver
There is a place where the town ends,
and the fields begin.
It’s not marked but the feet know it,
also the heart that is longing for refreshment
and, equally, for repose.
Someday we’ll live in the sky.
Meanwhile, the house of our lives is this green world.
The fields, the ponds, the birds.
The thick black oaks—surely they are
the invention of something wonderful.
And the tiger lilies.
And the runaway honeysuckle that no one
will ever trim again.
Where is it? I ask, and then
my feet know it.
One jump, and I’m home.
Resources on Boundaries
Are you interested in learning more about this topic? Check out these articles, videos, fact sheets, books, and more to continue exploring ways to get in touch with your needs and limits.
- Healthy Boundaries for Caregivers, an article exploring ways caregivers can set and maintain limits with a loved one, including practical strategies
- What are Personal Boundaries, Brief handout reviewing different types with examples
- Set Boundaries, Find Peace, A book written by Nedra Glover Tawwab, explores simple-yet-powerful ways to establish healthy boundaries
- Courage to Caregivers, Organization offering programs for caregivers, including one-to-one caregiver peer support, breathing meditation classes, support groups, and educational resources
- Helping Someone Living with Depression or Bipolar Disorder, A handbook for families and caregivers. This 60-page resource covers the role of families and caregivers, setting reasonable expectations, paying for treatment, and more
- Building Your Caregiver Toolkit, a free downloadable resource to help you identify the resources and skills you need in your role as a caregiver
- Stages of Change, video series explaining the process of making a change and how you can support your loved one along the way