Monday, January 10, 2011

Self Care

Of all the trivial luxuries one might think of in a down economy, getting a manicure at the local salon might be one of them. But my mom always taught me that taking good care of oneself is not a luxury. In fact, it is an investment in personal well being, something that is priceless when prices for everything else are high.

Around this time last year, my mom called to ask me what I wanted for my birthday. My parents had decided on a $50 budget, since I wasn’t a kid anymore and could take care of my own needs. I completely understood their logic, but nevertheless, I broke down in tears over the phone.

It wasn’t that I wanted a big screen TV or any other electronic devise for that matter, since I’m probably the most “unplugged” person in my circle of friends. My outcry over the birthday budget was that I felt in need of so much care that I knew it would break the bank.

A $70 massage for my shoulders and back, $40 for a pedicure for my dry feet, and another $15 for a nail treatment because I had reverted back to nail biting, picking, and just plain twitching.

On top of all this, I had contracted some kind of itchy eye-lid rash, which made me feel like a freak every time I woke up with my right eye swollen shut. That had already cost me $120 because I went to the doctor while switching health insurance.

So what did I want for my birthday?... A complete make-over.

And by that I mean a full mental, physical and spiritual assessment that would somehow make me feel balanced or dare I say thriving. At the very least I wanted to feel like myself again.

After my tears had receded, my mom helped me address what I really needed. She softly said, “Lynn, honey, it looks like you need to invest in yourself. You would spend money to travel to Europe and other exciting places. Why not spend some money on internal travel.”

Ding ding ding!

I instantly understood what she was getting at. In the months preceding my birthday breakdown, I had went from a year of volunteer work in Peru, a short adjustment back to my life in the US and within a month, I had entered direct-line ministry at the City Mission of Schenectady. I had taken little time for myself, much less assess what my needs were amidst such rapid change.

Internal travel. The moment my mom suggested it, I realized that I had not taken care of myself in the die-hard ways my mom had taught me – overseeing my health by taking care of my skin, my muscles and even my hands and toes.

My parents made their $50 contribution to the “Lynn Self-Care Fund,” and I made up the rest. I called in for a massage at Body Sense on Union Street in Schenectady and speed-dialed Debbie, my beloved manicurist since age 15. Yes, teenagers deserve manicures too.

This year, as my birthday approaches, I’m finding myself with a similar need for self care. But this time, before the onslaught of fatigue and helplessness arise, I’ve decided to take precautionary action. In fact, I just got back from getting my nails done and have a massage scheduled for Saturday.

My mom asked me again what I would like for my birthday, and rather than burst into tears, this time I cheerfully proposed that she and my dad contribute to my personal “massage fund.”

My mom happily agreed and the next day in my email inbox, I found an automated gift certificate from Body Sense massage studio with a note that read “Lynn, Happy Birthday. Self care is a good thing. Love, Mom and Dad.”

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