Time for Me

I wasn't able to go to the General RS meeting last Saturday, but I did have the opportunity to listen to it and it was beautiful. On so many levels it resonated within my heart. The one talk that I would like to discuss today is a part of Elder Uchdorff's talk.

I have been on a quest of understanding what it means to 'take time for yourself'. I have gotten massages. I have had pedicures. I get my hair done regularly, a great while back I even had my nails done, but I am a piano player and I CAN NOT stand to play with fingernails... anyway, I recently went with my Mother-in Law and Sisters-in-law to get a massage and go to dinner. I had a lovely time. The massage was wonderful, and I got to do some shopping, which was lots of fun without 3 kids, but after I left, I thought "Hum, I don't feel as good as I thought I would," and I wondered why.

Elder Uchdorff first told us women to stop apologizing for what we think is not perfect about ourselves. He explained that we are all in the same boat, but what he said next made me think about my quest. He talked about service and how, when we are in the service of others we find can really truly find our selves. That service can be physical, emotional, or even spiritual, which brings me to my next point. I wonder if pampering yourself, or taking 'me' time doesn't mean getting a massage, or a pedicure, but merely taking time to fill my/your spiritual bucket.

Sometimes taking that time actually means helping another. Sometimes it means spending quiet moments of reflection, prayer, and scripture study that fill and add to our spiritual/love bucket. Sometimes, at least in my case, it means listening to the Sunday School lesson and increasing my knowledge, and sometimes, it simply means having family prayer, and family scripture study.

I used to think that a massage would solve everything. That taking a break from the kids would make me feel so much better, but in all actuality I feel so much better when we are together as a family learning something new together. I had such a good time about a week ago reading scriptures with the kids. We were in Alma (the war chapters) so we pulled out my sons castle and little men and acted out what was happening in the scriptures. They loved it! And crazy thing, so did I. Those are the moments that feed 'me'. That pamper 'me'.

Now, just as a disclaimer, I am not perfect. My children do fight, and complain, and hit and pinch and tease each other. I get mad and yell, and...(I will say this part quietly)...sometimes spank my children, but I am trying to find ways to work through that. To respond differently and to become the best mother that I can be. These are just some ideas that have been floating around my head.