You know that phrase just a little TLC….tender loving care. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Well being kind to yourself, the person you have walked and talked with, yourself, since the day you were born. Well maybe not exactly the moment of birth as you did not exactly walk or talk at first more like…drool, spittle, burp, stare, girgle, little doodoos, smellies, flail, kick, whimper, screech. But since then, somehow, maybe too quickly really, you look in the mirror and….woohoo “look at me now” smile (or frown) depending on the day. You are the best, loved, and valued person who deserves a bit of TLC, only for you. This is your life and sooooooo need to build yourself up. Look in the mirror.
Oh my. Well, I see wrinkles (worry stress kids yadayadayada) – grey streaks au natural (comes with the territory)- double chin (grown over the years) – flab to the bod (oh well take me or leave me) – squinty eyes (too much something). Yep, a little TLC could go a long way. For goodness sake, does that not remind you of something? Okay this dates me. But oh well. I am thinking about I need to pull out Miss Sally’s magic mirror from Romper Room to hear the reminder that I am special too. Listening to her voice as she held the mirror up saying”Romper, bomper, stomper boo. Tell me, tell me, tell me, do. Magic Mirror tell me today. Did all my friends have fun at play?” Saying the names of so many kids (or adults), someone reminding you, me, he, she, I to do. Have fun. Take. Care. Of. Self. T.L.C. Haha. I forgot about that old show until today. Anyway, do you HEAR me??
What does it take to give oneself permission to be loving and tender to self? Could it be you are too busy with the busyness and speed dial lifestyle? The commitment to A B or Z? Preoccupied with the thingy tomorrow (or next week/month/beyond this day) and not thinking about the doing today? Don’t you just want to kick back for a second, put the brakes on, hold the train, and just chill?? Spend a little me time for only you. Do what makes you HAPPY.
But then again, do you know what makes you happy? You know the kind of spine tingling, giddy, jump up and down happy; or a more subtle like sense of a softly stirring of a smile and eyes lit kind of happy. Not everyone claps their hands quickly together as something catches the heartstrings. I think of the TV shows where a talk show host such as Ellen, Oprah, Steve Harvey, Jimmy Falon and so on who would bring together lost loves, military families, old friends, people who saved. The happiness and tears of joy, laughter and unexpectedness fills the faces. Disbelief. Stumbling. No way in a million years. And yet right there before their eyes is the happy. Should that not be part of the feeling of TLC for you or I?
I have a penchant for watching those reunion kind of shows, surprising the beejeebies out of the person(s) because it is just so beautiful to behold. You want to wrap the moment up and take it with you, seeing the purity of love witnessed. I mean I do like happy endings. Who wouldn’t? But to watch them it is more of the feeling inside me, the warm kind of generous feelings filling my cup so full, making me feel a goodness. Warm fuzzies. Oh yeah. To give that to myself in some way each day I think speaks to the TLC of self-caring.
So back to who, what, when, where, why, and how. BAAAAAH. You can’t take the teacher out of me for goodness sake!! WHO? Well me. WHAT? Self-care to be determined (no pinterest). WHEN? Any time. WHERE? Preferably where I am right now (no GPS or Siri needed). WHY? I owe it to myself. HOW? Breathe, Take the first step. And…. So back to the WHAT?
How to the what of self-care + TLC = aaaah? It does not have to be an elaborate plan of action, check off the list, post it note, ding on technology device. No. But of course if that is your personality type where you need reminders to put you first, well hey, whatever floats your boat. But do it. Just do it. Do what??? Well, take for example yesterday evening, I just got back from going to Cornwall PE and I stepped outside of my truck and happened to look up at the sky. The stars were bursting at the seams filling the clear night sky with the air, cold (brrrrr) and brisk, and it took my breath away. The moon is crescent and sky was not black but bluish black and I could still see the silhouette of the trees crossing the skyline. A smile crossed my face as I took a turn spinning slowly to take in my view. Happy. Yep. Check. TLC. Yep. Check. Check.
Did I want to go for a walk? Yes. Did I though? Are you kidding me??? It was cold cold, the brrr kind of cold. Just saying. And besides my dog, Maggie May, just got her fur cut…spa day for her…and would complain just a tad. I left her for a bit already and she was beside herself with happy to see me. And honestly, she would squat on the road and not move because her little paws and shaved fur cut….shiver me timbers. Nah, that would not be my happy. Yes, she would have her little coat on her but I would end up carrying her anyway. That would not be TLC for me.
Tender loving care is just what is says, to be gentle to self. Make you feel happy. Might be whatever gives you time for you. It might be 15 minutes in the bathroom with doors locked (Good luck). It might be taking your water or tea or coffee or wine (depending on time of day or not) and sitting on deck/porch/stoop/chair/swing/car. It might be just sitting, standing, ‘cop a squat’, and doing absolutely positively nothing for 10 (minutes not seconds please). It might be doing something for someone else because you can (love it). It might be jostling and jumping and stretching and lifting in a work out (prefer the steady walk). It might be catching some rays, some tunes, some zzzz’s, some suds, some writing, some praying, some reading, some Netflix (oh yeah…sign me up). It might be going for a drive to nowhere but somewhere. It might be a long hot shower (well maybe once in awhile because I learned a lesson about appreciating preciousness of water….thank you Water Walk)
It might be getting your hands in the dirt, pulling weeds (not on your life – horrible chore mom), digging in and feeling the coolness of the earth surrounding your fingers as you create a space for beauty to come alive. Planting seeds. Mind you the dirt in the finger nails afterward is kind of a turn off. Nah. It’s all good. It is the connected of self to the earth I think would be quite uplifting. Not that I would really enjoy it myself as I have bad memories of gardens and weeding and ‘it’s good for you” speech. Worked on my two sisters and dad as they are green thumbers. Nope, mom, dodged that bullet but I understand now the WWWWH of you doing it for I so enjoy the beauty created and do pause for long moments which I did get that from you. Gratefully. Thank you.
I think the biggest awareness of TLC is knowing when you need it. It is almost a promise to self that you need it everyday, even when feeling great. Because it feeds the soul, the mind, the spirit, the body… keeping you refreshed, refueled, renewed, rejuvenated. No, you are not a machine which is EXACTLY the point. Do not pretend you are. I know I wrote a blog earlier on about I recognizing that while I can do things, I can and will do them. But in order to do the “I can”, the “I” needs to be treated with the utmost care and love, paying attention when it is time for the pause, stop, rewind, so to speak. Then when I “can”, go for it.
So today do something to love yourself. Blessings.
Let us pray for those who are in need of prayers and to know that they are loved.
Karenpondering 