Thursday, July 08, 2010

Don't forget about you....

As I removed this pottery plaque from my kiln the other day, I didn't give much thought to its real meaning...until today.

Life can sometimes get in the way of our taking care of ourselves. If you are anything like me, you constantly worry about others in your life and try desperately to make everything "good" and "right"....and it can get exhausting at times.

The caretaker and optimist in me is alive and well these days and has lived inside of me for a long time...not that there is anything inherently wrong with those character traits unless you forget to be realistic and take time out and think about yourself every once in a while.

I am realizing that I sometimes need to stop and recognize the limitations of trying to make everything positive and happy for everyone. (Every once in a while one of my girlfriends will ask me how things are looking through those rose-colored glasses of mine!) I tend to get into my own little "la la land"...and, even though I do like it there (!)....reality beckons and I must try and see what things truly are and not necessarily how I would just like for them to always be.

I am working on it. : )

I love this quote that suggests that we continue to look out for others as well as taking care of ourselves... and, it keeps it all into perspective for me:

"If I am not for myself, who will be for me? If I am not for others, who am I for? And, if not now, when?" Rabbi Hillel

Be gentle with yourself today, my dear blogging friends, and have a great day....

XOXO

5 comments:

Grandma Mary said...

Ouch! You just stepped on all 10 toes. Thanks for the reminder. As a MOM of 3 grown kids and another kid, my husband, this speaks to me. I'm going to print this quote up and keep it in front of me just as a reminder. Thanks again for your blogs. I now get my email from Jonathan Lockwood Huie. I posted the first one from todays on my Facebook.
Have a wonderful day. Mary

L. said...

Thanks so much for your comments, Mary! Blogging is such a great "connector" of sorts for all of us. We have so much to learn from each other if we just take the time to listen.
xoxo

Clara....in TN said...

I'm trying to do better in that area. I worry about everybody else and never think about me. I count a little bit!

L. said...

Clara,
You count A LOT! Thanks for visiting and leaving a comment! I hope that all is well with you.
xoxo

Susan Adcox said...

Great motto! We do have to take care of ourselves and cherish ourselves before we can really nurture others.