Stop and take the time to smell the roses

I have a friend.  Her life is sadly pretty full right now raising an autistic grandchild by herself; and is taking care of her mom who has health issues.  On top of that she provides and maintains a home.  She is overwhelmed.  She has little support, is unable to take any time for herself.  Her life is stressful and tiring and it's catching up to her.  She is becoming snappy, and easily agitated.  I feel like she took it out on me, and it's gotten to the point where I am no longer going to reach out to her.  I am a friend, and I will be here if she needs me.  That's the best I can do.  

As a single parent, I can relate to her.  I have daughters and with that comes all kinds of drama.  My middle child was extremely difficult, so I've been there.  

Her problem, like so many others out there, that she doesn't take the time for herself that she needs to stay both mentally and physically healthy.  She doesn't take the time to unwind.  She doesn't take the time to enjoy anything.  She doesn't take the time to smell the roses so to speak and is therefore coming undone.    

That's no way to live.  

Life is meant to be lived.  If you don't get that I'm sorry for you.  

Yes, we need to take care of our responsibilities, but we have to make time for ourselves too.  We need time to unwind.  We need time to relax.  We need time to wake up.  We need time to pray, meditate, or whatever it is you do.  We need time to just let it all loose.  We need to smile and laugh and appreciate the beautiful things the world has to offer. We need time to deal with the important things, but we need to make time for the good things too.  If we don't, we burn ourselves out.

If we just don't seem to have that time, our worlds will fall into chaos.  We will be tired and miserable.

I learned a long time ago, my ME TIME benefits everybody.  It helps me to stay balanced emotionally and spiritually.  It helps me to be stronger for the times I need to be responsible.  

I start my day with me time.  It's one of the easiest ways to get it.  My daughter has to get up by 7:30 to be to school by 9.  That gives her time to have breakfast, shower, whatever she needs to do.  I get up at 6.  That gives me time to wake up, have a coffee in peace, and prepare for my day.  Most of the writing on this blog at least got started at this time.  I pray my rosery during this time.  That puts me in a much better frame of mind to start my day.  

The other benefit to this is that the world slows down around you.  When you are overwhelmed, everything seems to pile up on you all at once.  When you find those peaceful moments, that time for prayer, that time for your creative expression, much more of your life tends to fall into place.  That makes the load a little lighter.  It brings just a little bit of order to the chaos making it easier to deal with.

It is not the solution to all of your problems.  It's the solution to the problem of being overwhelmed to the point of going crazy.  If I didn't start my day this way, I would be just as messed up as you.

Life is meant to be lived.