Weary Feet and a Minute for Me

I spent the morning tweaking a writing project I have been putz-ing at for a month. Now, with my house completely quiet, I am claiming time for me. I have been invited by a friend to join her downtown tonight for dinner and a play. The whole of that sentence makes me smile because it is filled with so many things that I honestly just LOVE. It is time for me to pull my self together and sit with a dear friend, enjoy wonderful conversation, surround myself with the arts and then relish an in-depth chat on the journey home. I just cannot wait.

We don't do enough of this, do we? When I am thrilled about a leisurely shower and dressing in clothes that I could NOT wear to a gym, what does that say about my daily priorities? Every morning, my children leave for school dressed, clean, combed and brushed. They feel good and look good and have had plenty of sleep... well, mostly. Somehow, I have pushed myself far enough back that the base things that I require for them, I often do not require for myself.

Tonight, I am going out. But what will I do tomorrow? What will it take for me to feel like I have prioritized myself a bit then? What will it take for you to do the same? What minute can you reserve for yourself to relax, to read a bit, to enjoy a treat or just to find some space to remember what you love, even in this season of sacrifice?

When my older boys were little, I remember giving them daily baths. It took time but they loved it all. One day, I pulled off my socks and soaked my weary feet in the warm, soapy water as they played. It was just a little thing but it made a world of difference to this tired momma. It couldn't compare to a pedicure or massage but for those few minutes, it was close enough. I found myself looking forward to the boys' baths both for them and for me.

So, what's it going to be? You are too important to those you love best to set yourself aside again. Just find a minute. Think of one small thing that you love. Work it in and you will find that the lift it gives you makes you a better mom to those children at your feet. You are worth it, you know. You really, really are.

Blessings on your day.