I'm going to let you in on a little secret... I do not have an endless supply of energy (despite the fact that I have copious amounts of caffeine at my fingertips on a daily basis). Shocking, I know.
The older I've gotten, the more my body is forcing me to slow down. The ol' girl just won't cooperate like she used to. She's giving it all she's got, Captain! (Sorry, Star Trek humor.) I've also learned that for my own mental health, it's good to take some time for peace.
Peace.
If I had to pick a word that I want to focus on this year, it's peace. For the first time in my adult life, all I want to pursue right now is peace and balance. I've had to learn (and not always successfully) how to tell myself NO. Sometimes I have to cancel engagements and set things aside. There will always be something that needs to be done. One can only accomplish so much in a day.
Usually my body forces me to take a break. This week was an arthritis flare-up. It sometimes can take a couple of days to recover from. Frustrating as it may be for someone like me, it forces me to take some time to slow down. Luckily, I had the day off from work. I puttered around the apartment for a bit, paid some bills, went to the store to pick up snack food for my crew, and crawled in bed with my four-year-old daughter upon returning home. We snuggled up under a mound of soft blankets and watched a Tinkerbell movie. It was lovely.
I scrolled through some Groupon deals on my phone as I dozed in and out of consciousness. That's when I came across a deal for a Tibetan herbal reflexology blah-blah-blah. I had no clue what that was but it sounded glorious. I'd never had a professional massage, so I called to confirm with the local spa. Two hours later (while the kids spent the afternoon with their dad), I was dragging my pregnant sister-in-law with me to this magical place of Tibetan herbs.
It was a tiny place in an old strip center that I had passed many times before. Inside, it was quiet and clean. A small woman greeted us as a gentle strain of new age music drifted from the back with hints of lavender. Everything was in Chinese. Jackpot. I could tell this was going to be good. Melanie and I were led back to our room. An older woman was assigned to Mel's pregnant self while I got a young gentleman who was most likely a college student at the local university.
"We usually start with the face. Is that okay?" he asked in a thick Chinese accent.
"Uh, sure, I guess. I've never had my face massaged before..." I wasn't sure what to think of this invasion of my personal space. Well, I guess the whole concept of massage disrupts "personal space." He began with my forehead, the bridge of my nose, and then my temples.
Okay, whatever you do, don't laugh. No, don't giggle either. This is weird. I have a strange man touching my face. Hmm, okay. Maybe not so bad. This is kinda... relaxing. Ahhhhh. What sorcery is this? Ok, focus... focus on... ugh. Screw it. This is okay.
Shoulders and back were next.
Oh man. That hurts... so... good... OH SWEET BABY JESUS. Why is my ear tingling?! Okay, lower back... ugh. That needed some work... wait, what... why are you massaging my butt? Is this normal? HOLY MOSES, MY HIP.
Finally, the feet.
How are there this many pressure points in one foot?! What the... that spot literally just made the top of my head itch! Witchcraft! Do I care? Nope. Just... take all of my money.
We stumbled out 70 minutes later. I could do that every week (if my bank account allowed that), but the point was that I finally allowed myself some much-needed pampering (at a bargain price). It's good to stop and take a moment to breathe: whether it is a massage, some fresh air, or a book and a piping hot cup of tea. The point is to be still. Always make sure you take a moment to be still in this crazy, hectic world.
"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." (John 14:27)
The older I've gotten, the more my body is forcing me to slow down. The ol' girl just won't cooperate like she used to. She's giving it all she's got, Captain! (Sorry, Star Trek humor.) I've also learned that for my own mental health, it's good to take some time for peace.
Peace.
If I had to pick a word that I want to focus on this year, it's peace. For the first time in my adult life, all I want to pursue right now is peace and balance. I've had to learn (and not always successfully) how to tell myself NO. Sometimes I have to cancel engagements and set things aside. There will always be something that needs to be done. One can only accomplish so much in a day.
Usually my body forces me to take a break. This week was an arthritis flare-up. It sometimes can take a couple of days to recover from. Frustrating as it may be for someone like me, it forces me to take some time to slow down. Luckily, I had the day off from work. I puttered around the apartment for a bit, paid some bills, went to the store to pick up snack food for my crew, and crawled in bed with my four-year-old daughter upon returning home. We snuggled up under a mound of soft blankets and watched a Tinkerbell movie. It was lovely.
I scrolled through some Groupon deals on my phone as I dozed in and out of consciousness. That's when I came across a deal for a Tibetan herbal reflexology blah-blah-blah. I had no clue what that was but it sounded glorious. I'd never had a professional massage, so I called to confirm with the local spa. Two hours later (while the kids spent the afternoon with their dad), I was dragging my pregnant sister-in-law with me to this magical place of Tibetan herbs.
It was a tiny place in an old strip center that I had passed many times before. Inside, it was quiet and clean. A small woman greeted us as a gentle strain of new age music drifted from the back with hints of lavender. Everything was in Chinese. Jackpot. I could tell this was going to be good. Melanie and I were led back to our room. An older woman was assigned to Mel's pregnant self while I got a young gentleman who was most likely a college student at the local university.
"We usually start with the face. Is that okay?" he asked in a thick Chinese accent.
"Uh, sure, I guess. I've never had my face massaged before..." I wasn't sure what to think of this invasion of my personal space. Well, I guess the whole concept of massage disrupts "personal space." He began with my forehead, the bridge of my nose, and then my temples.
Okay, whatever you do, don't laugh. No, don't giggle either. This is weird. I have a strange man touching my face. Hmm, okay. Maybe not so bad. This is kinda... relaxing. Ahhhhh. What sorcery is this? Ok, focus... focus on... ugh. Screw it. This is okay.
Shoulders and back were next.
Oh man. That hurts... so... good... OH SWEET BABY JESUS. Why is my ear tingling?! Okay, lower back... ugh. That needed some work... wait, what... why are you massaging my butt? Is this normal? HOLY MOSES, MY HIP.
Finally, the feet.
How are there this many pressure points in one foot?! What the... that spot literally just made the top of my head itch! Witchcraft! Do I care? Nope. Just... take all of my money.
We stumbled out 70 minutes later. I could do that every week (if my bank account allowed that), but the point was that I finally allowed myself some much-needed pampering (at a bargain price). It's good to stop and take a moment to breathe: whether it is a massage, some fresh air, or a book and a piping hot cup of tea. The point is to be still. Always make sure you take a moment to be still in this crazy, hectic world.
"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." (John 14:27)
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