Feb. 17

I'm working "The Artist's Way" by Julia Cameron. I come back to this book about every two years and work it through again. Last week was reading deprivation. The idea was that we tend to use reading to numb the mind-like we use junk food to numb the senses. And if you take away reading you can do all those things you've meant to do and have been putting off (like re-potting plants and painting the basement)-until you get bored. Then you learn how to play. I never quite get to the play part. This week, I'm reading about how we use virtue to kill ourselves. Think of it as not listening to the airlines and putting everyone else's oxygen mask on first until we run out of air and pass out. Why would we do this? Because it "feels" virtuous. Putting our own mask on first feels "selfish." It's not. You can't really help your children or your spouse if you are not taking care of yourself. I have a friend who says you can't properly serve God, unless you are as healthy as you can be. There is truth in that.

Never taking a day off, never finding quiet time to oneself kills the soul and that soullessness shows in our work, in our relationships and our life. Still we struggle because we've been taught not to be selfish. But you can't help a drowning man if you drown with him. So, take some time to take care of you today, so that you will be better tomorrow. Cheers~