Our society is a complicated place. It zooms here and slides there, keeping our lives on the go and hopping like crazy rabbits.
I look around and see all our souls chasing civilization in its madcap ways, sometimes fun with family and friends. Other times a tragedy, with tears and a heart in pain.
There is no doubt we each take in the world differently, making certain rules within our souls that are as individual as a thumbprint and reflected in everything we do. And though we have conquered the living food chain and sit at the top with little fear of being consumed by wild beasts, a different battle for survival currently exists, with different effects radiating out from each of us.
Look at a face and see life etched in its contours, the eyes providing a momentary glance inside, revealing the delicate beings we actually are. We become our own body from the day we are born to find ourselves a living force immersed intimately in the world around us, each equipped in our own ways. And there is no telling what the effects of life in this world will do to the hidden fragility that lies within every one of us. We might not be far from the man laughing randomly in a cracked manner, living on the street corner in a world of safety found deep inside his self.
Think about it, every day we bravely walk the line in our lives, sometimes with natural ease, other times tip-toeing precariously close to the edge. Love from family and love from friends get us through the hard parts. But it is love of self that keeps our sanity in place by reminding us to not forget to care for ourselves.
I think as a society we must do for others, behave in a proper manner and keep to all the rules, to keep some order and peace in this crazy world. But also we must nurture our selves. We must do little things daily to remind ourselves we deserve to feel good and deserve to be happy.
One of the most important things is to take a time out. Children know when they’ve had enough and react accordingly. Alas, being a grown-up has taught us to push those feelings inside, stay calm and carry on, as the saying goes. But remembering to stop and, if need be, get away from the moment into a safety zone is nurturing the self and remembering we are human and not superman or -woman. And amid all we do – going to doctor appointments, carting kids from here to there, making the boss happy (and that raise a reality) – we must remember to actually make time for what we love to do. My one thing is to be out in nature. feeling her unruffled beauty flowing gracefully through me, gently blowing away the tension I get from racing around in life. For my friend, it is romping around with her grandkids and giving them her Italian exuberance and love.
For others it could be as simple as soaking in a hot bath lovingly concocted with salts, seaweeds and essential oils for a simmering haven to unwind. Maybe it’s a trip back East to visit friends and connect with like minds or curling up in that favorite chair with a book.
Our lives are made of moments strung together and we must remember in the name of health to string together ones that keeps us balanced – sometimes doing what we want to do, not always what we need to do. The consequences can be maddening with over-indulgences in eating and drinking – a prime symptom that the self was forgotten somewhere along the line.
Take the time to honor thyself in the manner you see fit for life tumbles ever forward leaving it up to you to specialize a piece of its
