Stop and Smell the Flowers (Take Care of You)

As women of a certain age, we sometimes think that we must be everything to everybody–especially during the holiday season.  Some of us are from the old school, and we must prepare holiday meals the way our mothers and grandmothers did back in the day.  Some of us even think we must show our new-found culinary skills (by way of the Food Network) in order to make our families happy.  We decorate our homes sometimes to the extreme.  It has to be perfect.  Don’t get me wrong, I cook, clean and start the process all over again–I enjoy it.

But I have learned from life experiences that I must take care of “me”, because if I am not at my healthiest, not only do I suffer, my family suffers too.  I’m not talking about being physically ill, nor am I talking about being mentally sick.  I’m talking about an illness that has no name so for the sake of this post it will be call “MyItis”.  “MyItis” can be defined as forgetting to stop and smell the flowers.  There is a gospel song that says “Give me my flowers while I yet live”.  That’s what we should do for ourselves as we mature. 

Take a little time to stop, look and smell the flowers.  Take time to look at the beauty that God has created for our enjoyment.  I’m not saying you have to buy them;  you can if you wish, but you can just look and smell while shopping for that holiday meal or that special gift for that someone special.

Stopping to smell the flowers is not all about “flowers”.  You are a beautiful flower that has opened its petals that needs a little extra attention (more than a  flower whose petals have not open yet).  Take time to cure your “MyItis”.  If at all possible take a day, weekend or more to rest and recharge.  Use this time to “rest”, not think about the next meal (believe it or not they will not starve before you get back).  If you feel they will, make meals ahead of time.  If the house doesn’t stay clean for a day, you will live–you clean everyday any way.

Take a break away from your phone, pick up that magazine or use your tablet to read your favorite magazine that you haven’t had time for.   Sleep late, can’t sleep late, then just lay there and thank God for the flowers in your life.  Do something that soothes you, not something that everybody else does.  You want to cure your “MyItis”, not theirs.  Take time to let someone else take care of you.  Have a meal at a nice restaurant, and this time don’t think that you can make it better, just enjoy the fact that you didn’t have to make it, and/or wash the dishes and/or clean the kitchen.  Take time to enjoy the little things.  Drink a glass of wine in the prettiest glass that you can get it in–you are the Flower that keeps the weeds from taking over your garden, you deserve the best. If you don’t drink wine, soda or tea will do.  It’s all about taking care of you.

I truly love my family, but I also love me.  When I am at my best, I plan better, decorate better, show off my culinary skills more and even look better.  I’ve cured my “MyItis” for a while by way of The Breakers in Palm Beach, Florida. 

My baby sister loves her big sister (this was my birthday gift from her).  Everyone was excited to see me when I got home, and I was excited to see all of them– from the kiss of my grandson to the kiss of my hubby. I know that in a couple of months I will have another bout of “MyItis”, and I will cure it whether it be in my sunroom looking at the flowers in my backyard, drinking my wine out of the prettiest glass I can find or somewhere else in the world.  I will do this, and you should to because “thisisyourbestyear.”