Word for the Week

 Self-care

I know it is really two words, but one thought. It has been on my mind recently. Sometimes I have a particularly difficult day and I remind myself I need to take better care of myself. Last week there was one day that was difficult and I pulled a card out of my deck of self-care cards. Wouldn't you know the card I pulled out was just that "self compassion". "To welcome and even bless the struggling, injured, or grieving parts of ourselves. To cultivate a spirit of kindness that nurtures our soul and flows into empathy and care for others."  But first we must care for ourselves.

There was a time as a young mother that I was having a particularly difficult time so I would take myself to the local nursery and spend some time just being surrounded by flowers and plants. Sometimes a plant such as the one above would come home with me. Every time I looked at that plant I would smile. Was that "self-care"? Yes!!!

 

As I contemplated these thoughts combined with Memorial Day I thought of the soldiers that cared for our country enough that they would choose to stand up and fight for our democracy, to "care for others."

 How do we fight for our own sanity and safety?

As I was writing this morning I heard from a distant cousin. Her daughter had given birth to a preemie little boy a couple months ago. The mom had a particularly difficult day in the hospital recently when she realized the doctor wasn't doing all he could do for the baby. She yelled at the doctor out of frustration. The head doctor heard her and immediately took action. The baby is now at another hospital getting the care he needs. What if she hadn't yelled, spoke up for her baby? She did what she needed to do to care for her baby and herself. Sometimes it take speaking up, maybe even yelling out in desperation.

Or sometimes it take sitting quietly over a cup of tea either alone or with a friend.

How do you "self-care"?