Oxygen for the Climb

Ok, so I'm back at it after two days of semi-stupor recovering from the big anniversary prep and event.  Finally I can take OFF that spinning plates [see April 15 blog] and put it down.  It feels good. It feels reeeeally good to be able to let go of something. Now the trick is not to use the empty pole for yet another plate.  It is time to take down plate and pole and all.  If I can do that I will have more time for the other spinning plates.  I need that.  The other plates need that. The extra attention could really help keep those other plates spinning... or .....maybe.... maybe, ...just maybe,  there is something better, something even more important.  Maybe the time should not go to rushing from plate to plate. Maybe the time should go to standing still... to taking a moment to "just" breathe.  

We who have spent so much of our lives caretaking rarely force ourselves to slot time to take care of ourselves.  There always seems to be one more child, one more crisis, another phone call or appointment, one more intervention, [one more load of laundry!] demanding our immediate attention.  The airline stewards always tell us to put our oxygen mask on before putting it on a child or person near us. We need to breathe. We are trying to climb mountains and we are trying to do it carrying children on our backs. We need oxygen for the climb. 

So, I have decided to try NOT to use the extra time to put more effort into my other priorities.  I am going to try my hardest to use that time to build up my own oxygen supply, to gather strength for the tasks at hand, ... to be still....   to breathe.    

Wish me luck!