Today a patient, speaking with a sense of peace and hope, reminded me of the saying, “When the student is ready, the teacher will appear”.

Mm mm.

Self care indeed.

Keep on!

While Audrey and Marlo peruse their Cheesecake Factory menus I people-watch. (I already know I’m going to have the vegan cob salad.) The place is filled. Some are sitting alone, while others are working hard on feeling connected. And once more, a weightlessness hits me.

It amazes. God loves each person in this topped off restaurant.

Even as self-absorbed as I am, a rhythm of thinking that God is all about “the fantastic me,” a Quincy Jones funk beat breaks in. Bounce. Boom. I realize that He is just as intensely absorbed with each individual.

When the weightlessness intrudes, I try to understand it, grasping. Where is the root or rock to grasp while I fall? The only way to date that I can is through our children. We love each of them, not in a quantifiable or qualifiable way—it just is. Weightless. And that’s how God loves us. It simply exists. It’s not about an amount.

I also hesitate to say that it’s qualitative, even though God’s love is relational. Qualitative implies measurability, and God’s love is immeasurable. It just is.

I hope you had a wonderful Palentines. (The term Palentine originates from the combination of the words “pal”, which is another word for friend, and “valentine”.) And if you didn’t, for whatever reason, know that you are loved.

Self-Care Tip: Know the love and value you are held in.

Keep on!

Like walking around parking lot puddles, we spend our lives trying to avoid losses and suffering. That makes intuitive sense and I’d recommend continuing to do that. Smile. However, consider the reversal processing of that.

In film development, there is this option, after the negative image has been developed. The film it is totally bleached away using an acid bleach that starts the development of the negative image. This leaves the unused silver halide untouched, but it is not fixed out, as it will later be used to form the positive image.

In mental health, I might consider this the self care we do for our biology. The stuff no one can do for us. Like the basic 6: food choices, clean air/sunlight, exercise 3-5 days a week, sleep greater than 6.5 hours a night, spiritual, and taking your medication. No one can do these for you. That is what I call being a friend to yourself. They are the most important part of avoiding those puddles in life.

Self-care tip: Doesn’t need saying again after this blurb. :) But let me know how it is going for you! Please reply. People need to hear your voice.