PrioriTea: Nurturing Yourself while Caring for Others September 9, 2008
Posted by Dr. Pamela Gerali in Care Giving, Consciousness, Health and Wellness, Priority.Tags: Add new tag, Care Giving
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“Getting in touch with your true self must be your first priority.”
Tom Hopkins
I have had to take a break and pause from the demands of life to restore my energy and renew my soul. Stopping is not easy because I normally move like a road runner, darting from place to place, doing as much as I can, until I crash. I have not been able to find a happy medium. Balance for me is taking times of rest between times of intense activity. Between these extremes I usually maintain enough equilibrium to stay healthy, live purposefully (share my Blueprint with the world), and care for family members in need.
My many family responsibilities finally caught up with me this summer, and I had to clear my plate of everything that was not absolutely necessary. Even then, I still lacked enough energy to keep going. Now that my “patients” are feeling better and are independent, I am able to realign my priorities to focus more on my own needs and my life work.
Although it can be exhausting, care giving is a blessing. It is a gift that gives back in many ways. While caring for our daughter this summer, my relationship with her has strengthened and deepened. We are much closer now than we have been for years. This reward far outshines the time and energy I spent caring for her for the past two months and for that I am truly grateful.
I have no idea how my mother has been able to care for my father for the past 20+ years when he had a paralyzing stroke. Last December he had another debilitating stroke; he is now totally dependent and is slowly declining. Mother has rarely left his side. On occasion she will ask a family member to sit with him while she runs errands. I ran out of steam caring for our daughter after two months, while this petite lady who is nearing the end of her seventh decade manages to keep going. She gets up long before dawn so she can read the Bible, pray and exercise before her caretaking duties begin.
Perhaps she has learned the critical lesson taught to us by the heart. Before it pumps oxygenated blood throughout the body, it nourishes its own cells first. Before we can care for others, we must first take good care of ourselves. For the martyrs among us and for those like me who are dedicated to our life work and have trouble saying “No,” that is a tough lesson!
I really enjoyed Dt. Gerali’s book, “Higher Tea” I love the countless metaphors with tea with our being. She is a very clever writer and has a profound insight to the nature of existence. I found her book very thought-provoking and empowering. Like many women, I am a master multi-tasker. I am a morning tea drinker. I used to drink my tea while getting ready for the day. Since reading this book, I just drink my tea and stay present to that one experience. Not only has this enhanced my enjoyment of tea, but it has given me a special time in the morning to be really present and centered. What a wonderful way to start the day.