That little bit of freedom and time away, of course, can help clear the mind, rejuvenate, and prepare you for the next day's challenges. Because as much as we all (caregivers and non-caregivers alike) would ideally like to believe the next day will be problem-free, people are usually hit with challenges every single day, with some small, nevertheless frustrating problems and some big ones that can feel overwhelming.

READ MORE (VIP) -->> Caregiver's Diary Part 4: Caregivers Need Care, Too

But if you're like me, recharging your internal battery is like charging up your three-year-old cell phone; it might get to 100 percent, but it doesn't hold a charge nearly as well as it used to when it was fresh and new.

That's in some ways where I found myself recently, as Father's Day approached.

Mom and I have made some dietary changes over the last few weeks that I think have helped improve my moods and my "get up and go." I've been feeling more like myself than I have in a while, which is a positive development for sure. Though I've had my ups and downs, I've been feeling more refreshed and motivated to tackle challenges.

I had every intention of writing a VIP Caregiver's Diary piece about the three-year-anniversary of losing my dad, whom we had to say goodbye to a week before Father's Day in 2022.

I had already done a column on it, which mostly referenced things I've written about before regarding that period in my life.

But the VIP I wanted to do would have covered ground I haven't covered before, some things I've really needed to talk about, but wasn't in the right frame of mind to do it, wasn't ready.

The closer it got to Father's Day, however, the more reluctant I became about the possibility of writing it.

Saturday rolled around. Couldn't do it.

Sunday rolled around. I turned the computer on, logged in, and stared at the screen for about 15 minutes.

I still couldn't do it.

I felt deflated. Weak. Like I'd let my dad down.  He had moved mountains for us for decades, yet I couldn't write this one piece that would have both honored him and allowed me to get things off my chest that I've been carrying around?

Why couldn't I be strong enough to jump this next hurdle in my grief journey?

The fact of the matter is that no matter how much we try to be "every woman/man," no matter how charged up our batteries are, some days walking against the wind is just too much and we have to step back and give ourselves some grace.

SEE ALSO (VIP) -->> Caregiver's Diary Part 19: Give Yourself Some Grace

That wasn't easy for me to do on Sunday.  But after a talk with mom, a nice Sunday lunch, and an afternoon of watching lively cardinal interactions and binge-watching some of our favorite YouTube channels, I gradually cut back on being so hard on myself.

Maybe one day I'll write those thoughts down for the world to see, or maybe I won't. But if Dad could talk to me right now, I feel confident that he'd tell me he wasn't disappointed in me in part because he, too, in his role as the family oak tree when he was still with us, could not be Every Man all the time.

Love you, dad-o, and thank you for the lessons you're still teaching me three years later.

RELATED: To read my previous Caregiver's Diary entries, please click here.