The Reed campus is loaded with caregivers. Teachers, staff, roommates, all looking after one another day after day. I think it is fair to say that care giving is one of the most rewarding experiences a human can have, and is one of the things that makes campus life so satisfying.

It seems a little paradoxical, then, that care giving can also be something we dread. Will I be able to meet all of today’s challenges? How long can I continue to meet the needs of my students, co-workers, friends?

Face it, caregivers need care too. Care giving is not only rewarding, it is also stressful and demanding. We need to be able to take a break from our responsibilities, to take time to look after ourselves. We may even need to let someone else take care of us.

A recent Times article (“When the Caregivers Need Healing,” July 28) explores these issues and shows how a mindfulness practice can offer caregivers yet another tool for sustaining themselves.