Taking Care of Me So I Can…

For the most part, I tend to be a fairly up-beat person. In fact, most days I wake up with a sense of anticipation for the day ahead. The one exception, however, is when I am sick. I learned early on in motherhood that gone are the days when someone waits on me hand and foot when I am under the weather. In fact, it seems fair to say that mothers simply aren’t allowed to be sick. There is no such thing as taking a sick day, calling in sick, or taking a leave of absence. For, there is always a fire to put out, a heart to cheer, a kitchen to be cleaned, a meal to prepare, and an extra-curricular activity to attend.

 

So, when one day, I found myself sick with a horrible case of the flu, I was grumpy. My muscles ached, I had no energy, and of course, my husband had to work late. By the time I was giving the children a bath, reading to them and tucking them in bed, I felt absolutely horrible. I feared I was feeling what it must be like to get old. Every step hurt. My neck and shoulders throbbed, and I couldn’t seem to get comfortable. Suddenly, I felt angry.

 

Just as I was about to sink into despair, I remembered that we had a jacuzzi tub with jets in the master bathroom. I shuffled into the master bathroom and started the steaming water. While I waited for the tub to fill, I found some forgotten bath salts hiding in my bathroom cupboard that I had received for Christmas from my sister. I poured a generous amount of salts into the tub. Within moments, I was soaking in the tub with jets shooting my stiff muscles into submission. I had found heaven.

 

Had I ever used the jacuzzi tub? No, I didn’t think I had. Why not? I wondered. Well, probably because I never wanted to take the time. Suddenly, I realized how silly I had been. I spent hours meeting the needs of others, but, when I needed something, I simply ignored it. Why didn’t I consider myself and my own needs?

 

Much of the tension in my muscles began to ease. Closing my eyes, I made a silent commitment to listen to the little voice inside my head. Oh, how life would be better if I learned to rest when I was tired, treat myself to an oreo milkshake when I was down, and ask others to pitch in when I needed it.

 

How do you spoil yourself when you are running on fumes?  Post a comment below.