Women at Rest

Learning to Slow Down

DailyOM has a short and sweet article today on Learning to Slow Down.

My favorite part which has proven true for me:

A life savored slowly need not be passive, inefficient, or slothful. Conducting ourselves at a slower pace enables us to be selective in how we spend our time and to fully appreciate each passing moment.

Rest Your Weary Eyes, My Christmas Dumplings

I stumbled across a photo on Cynthia Rockwell's blog and felt it my civic duty to spread its message of cheer and hope to any woman in need of such cheer and hope. So, without further ado, this photo's for you:

Daniel Craig as the latest 007 in a scene from this year's James Bond bomb Casino Royale. He is even hotter in my favorite movie of his, The Mother.

You're welcome! :)

Over the Edge and Through the Woods to Insanity's House We Go

Today's word: Breathe

I'm doing something I haven't done in ages: laying down -- resting -- during daylight hours. I'm beat, physically worn out, mentally exhausted and not the least bit surprised I've come down with a nasty cold. This was zena moon's sixth holiday season and while not our busiest December ever, it's the last December I push myself so hard.

The toll on my mind, body and spirit has been expensive. I'm learning what my limits are -- mentally and physically -- through trial and error. I'm learning and discovering what I need to do in order care for myself, and how that changes day by day, month by month, year by year. What worked beautifully last year may not (has not) this year. My job is to accept and adjust.

Reading Liz's post today calmed and soothed me. I followed her example and lit a healing candle. I read the quote by Mother Teresa with fresh eyes:

The most important medicine
is tender love and care.

For the first time I realized TLC can come from within. It can be how I treat myself today. My medicine.

This is a hard time of year, period. Such are my own self-generated stressors I can't even "go there" and write more about it. I don't need to. We all know it. We all feel it. God knows it doesn't need more attention.

So here I am, lying on the couch in a quiet house. Bryon took Elliott and Lucy to work, and Silas is home with me. Something I read recently that really hit home was "Simplicity fosters serenity." My only must-do's are:

• Rest
• Breathe
• Be grateful

Soon I will shower and take Silas to the dog park. Then I will rest. Later I will wrap Christmas presents. Then I will rest. We'll have leftovers for dinner and I will go to bed early tonight. Are there a hundred other things my brain tells me I should accomplish before my parents arrive tomorrow? Yes. Some will get done, some won't. The most important thing about Christmas is togetherness and love -- not whether my sliding glass door is clean. And that's really about all I know today.

Breathe.

Friday Night Lights Out

It's 9pm and I'm stretched on the couch with my laptop, both it and our DSL powered by a generator. We had a big storm last night that caused tremendous damage to our area. We've been without power since yesterday, the third outage this week. In times past this would have freaked me out, especially during zena moon's busiest week of the year. This year, it seems pointless to waste energy fretting over something I have exactly zero control over! The only thing I have control over is how I respond.

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
the courage to change the things I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.

That said, I'm in need of recharging. Doesn't this photo make you want to sit down and savor a cup of something hot and comforting? On my to-do list for tomorrow, this is at the top. Maybe yours too?

(Photo by foutugraphe.)