I decided to sleep in, even though I had a myriad things laid out for the day. I decided to sleep in, and alas, the world did not come to a screeching halt. Sure, I had a lot of catching up to do- e-mails to respond to, meetings to reschedule, text messages to write...but nothing went as out of balance as I imagined it would. It brought me to the realization that if I stop for just a minute, to breathe...to exhale...if I just give myself the permission to be human, it would be alright.
I don't know about you but everyday I meet people- we say hello, and my reflex response to the question, 'How are you'? Is usually either, 'good', 'great', 'I'm fine'...and they in turn respond in kind, but since I know that I am not always as 'great' as I want to seem, I go away wondering if other people are really always just fine...always just...great.
We work so hard to give others a superficial perception of how we really are, while sometimes we are breaking and falling apart on the inside. So many of us are walking journeys that are neither easy, nor ideal. The one thing I am certain of, is that none of us have it together all the time.
Two weeks ago I boarded a flight, and while our plane taxied, we went through the usual motion of in-flight safety instructions. I have to admit I am not always as attentive as I ought to be, but on this day I decided to sit back, and pay attention. Well I'm glad I did, because I heard something that has been said on every single flight I have ever taken, but it never struck me the way it did on that day.
"...In the event of an emergency, place your oxygen mask firmly over your nose and mouth...if you are traveling with a child or someone who requires assistance, secure your mask first, and then assist the other person".
Haiya! It dawned on me that in order for me to be able to assist another passenger in case of an emergency, I would have to take care of myself first. So I thought to myself: how many times do we get it twisted? Our hearts are in the right place in wanting to help others, but how can we possibly be effective when we are actually at the risk of a burn out? How can we give what we do not have? No wonder Christ said to love others as you love yourself; meaning you would be incapable of even knowing what it means to love another if you do not love yourself first.
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| Somewhere in Nyali |
I challenge you today to move out of the back burner. Stop trying to save the world; discover what your purpose is and pursue it. But as you do so, take a nap if you must. Go on holiday if you can. Switch off your phone. Get off Facebook for a day. Let someone watch the kids for a few hours. Cancel that date. Change your hair color. Do something that allows you to rest. Give yourself the permission to recharge.
Beloved, just stop.
From my heart to yours,
Kambua M.
