This got me thinking about our personal values and how they sometimes make caring harder than it needs to be. Do we give ourselves and our loved ones permission to be imperfect?
Last week, I blogged about re-thinking self-care. I posted that blog on The Caregivers' Living facebook page and lots of people wrote to express their thoughts and feelings about self-care. Shannon wrote this: Self care during crises - for me, this means stripping out all the unnecessaries. It means giving myself permission to serve microwaved dinners instead of cooking meals, online grocery shopping and Walmart parking lot pick up, even deciding that bills can be paid 2 weeks late and for now I will just give myself permission to do only what absolutely must be done.
Ann wrote: As an eldest and a solo mama, i can really relate to other families (mostly solo mamas) who get 'it', and the meditation outside of a kitchen window that overlooks a rather unkempt yard that nourishes many birdies and other critters who fly in for various seeds and snacks, to the joy i feel when i can actually wander/walk around without 5000 things on the to-do list invading my head space, or the once-in-a-blue moon chance to dance with other 'hip-types'... and a really good psychological thriller and even better murder mysteries/novels... how delicious!
So, for Christmas this year, let's all wish for permission to have a messy house, a shared memory instead of a dust-free window sill, a chocolate bar for dessert, a few minutes to watch the birds instead of paying bills and time to hold hands before the dishes get done.
And let's give ourselves permission to love our loved ones as they are - in all their imperfections. And love ourselves with the same loving, generous heart.
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