The Weight of Being the “Reliable One”
Diego is a 37-year-old caretaker who works full-time supporting older adults with mobility issues. Outside of work, he’s the sibling everyone depends on. His mother often asks him to check in on his uncle, and his sister frequently needs him to step in when her childcare plans fall apart. Diego never complains; being dependable feels woven into his identity.
Over the past month, however, he’s been feeling stretched thin. At work, one of his clients recently fell, and even though it wasn’t his fault, he keeps replaying the moment in his mind. At home, he’s been quietly letting go of his evening hobbies because he feels emotionally drained. When a friend mentioned that he seemed distracted, Diego brushed it off, joking that he was “burning the candle at both ends.”
Yesterday, he received a message asking if he could cover an overnight shift for another caretaker. He nearly agreed on autopilot, but something made him pause. He’s beginning to sense a shift — a growing awareness that he’s giving away all his time, and that the small pieces left no longer feel sufficient. He’s unsure whether this feeling is temporary or something deeper that he needs to address head-on.
List all unfamiliar words and phrases.
Review them before paraphrasing the story.
Discuss the following phrases and idioms:
check in on
step in
fall apart
dependable
woven into his identity
stretched thin
wasn’t his fault
replaying the moment
quietly letting go of
emotionally drained
burning the candle at both ends
cover an overnight shift
on autopilot
sense a shift
giving away all his time
small pieces left
address head-on
Explain the story in the present tense.
Change the entire story into this tense or paraphrase your response.
Explain the story in the past tense.
Change the entire story into this tense or paraphrase your response.
Explain the story in the future tense.
Change the entire story into this tense or paraphrase your response.
Your Thoughts:
What do you notice about Diego’s sense of identity and how it influences his decisions?
How should someone decide how much of themselves to give to others?
What signs suggest it’s time to create space for personal needs?
