“I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world” —E. B. White.

We hear people tell us regularly, ‘take care.’ It feels like a loving remark or parting gesture of kindness. However, do we personally hear and receive the message from these two words?

Think of some ways you can care about yourself today, some ways to take care and take rest. Let us act on the kind gesture and follow through with taking care of our beloved selves during the days of our lives.

At lunch a waitress began sharing with me why she was leaving for home with a coffee latte. She related to me the stress she has been under and rattled off the numerous things she does in one day, all things for others. 

Then she said something interesting–‘I need the coffee. I have been blinking and nodding off in the car while driving–I get so concerned.’ She kept on about the many demands in her life which she was trying to keep up with. Yet she did admit it had a price of neglecting her need to sit down and relax. I suggested kindly, ‘other than behind the wheel, allow yourself some cat naps when you feel tired.’ She seemed to struggle, however, with taking time and giving care to herself.

Perhaps too often, it takes conscious effort to be considerate of ourselves first. With practice and establishing a new habit of taking care and rest, it becomes easier and the time opens for us to be kind and listen to what our body and internal balance systems are reporting. It pays big dividends in our individual lives when we take time to care for ourselves as we act in kindness in our telling others to ‘take care.’