Do You Care For Yourself?

I was in pain, the kind of pain that hurts so much you're not sure what to do with it or where to go but you want to disappear. I wanted support from a friend but at the moment no one was available. So I had no other option but to care for myself. And I did, and everything changed in that moment. I saw myself more clearly, and when I had a question in my mind I responded with compassion. I listened to my pain, and held myself. I saw myself from the outside looking in, saw how much I was doing, how strong I was, and gave myself kindness like a good friend would. In that moment - I finally understood self care.

Self Care
Photo by Pete Ambrose

Do you Care for Yourself? What if  you loved  youself? What if you woke up and looked at yourself in the mirror with eyes of tenderness? What if you listened to yourself when you felt something needed to be said.? What if  you cried if you felt it and laughed when you meant it and said something only when it was real.  What if you said no, what if you held your  boundaries because those soft edges of your tender soul are all that you have to protect it. I no longer wanted to betray me.

What if I let the values of society family friends melt away and saw simply what I valued? What if they didn't match? What if I stood my ground and took myself on romantic dates. What if I showed you my true self my deepest self and you didn't love me. I might cry but then it would be okay because I finally really and truly knew myself, and then I loved and cared for myself and that was more than enough. I'm not just talking about brushing and flossing before you get go to bed, but sometimes it's a good start.