Teresa Holland
I do not know about you, but sometimes life just seems to wear you out. This can happen even when things are going well. Maybe it is just the same routine of all the sameness day in and day out; or it is a cranky boss that wears you down. I am not really a downer type of person and usually have a happy outlook, but everyone can have those times when you think… I just need a break.
I remember once in college, as a full-time working mother and student, thinking as another summer session approached that if I did another summer class that would just undo me. Not being a quitter though and feeling the pressure to get my degree done as soon as I could, I discussed with one of my favorite, most non-judgmental professors, of taking a break and not signing up this time around. While I did not like my decision, she just smiled at me and said, “You need a feed your soul break.” While I could not put a name on it, she summed it up quite nicely.
Most everyone has a time when they need a “feed your soul break.” That might be why some lucky people fly off to that beautiful beach in the Caribbean. But how does one get that break? Besides, as good as a beach break, it might be only once a year or less. What about the rest of the year?
No matter where you are in your life journey, the real question in all of life’s busyness is, “What rejuvenates you?” What speaks to your inner self, helps to keep you grounded while giving you hope and renewal? Maybe it is nature that speaks to you and quenches this thirst. I know for some of my gardener friends, they cannot wait to get outside to plant. They connect with the earth in such a way that they know that every year the garden has new gifts to offer.
Others escape into a good story or movie that takes them to new places that they cannot go in person. It gives a break to our routines that we can look forward to just unwinding. Some people may spend extra time in their place of worship. Avid hikers may plan all winter how they will fit special hikes into their busy schedules. However, once they complete them and return tired, they are fulfilled by the sights and sounds of solitude and a sense of accomplishment.
Maybe for a busy mother it is just a treat to have 15 minutes of alone time to relax. Sometimes this is before everyone is awake or after bedtime. Some men claim their alone time is mowing the grass. To me that seems like work, but to them it is their time to get away or to listen to their headphones. It is whatever works for you.
There are as many ways to feed your soul as there are people. Some may even have to add “Me Time” to their calendars. Now that warm weather is here, it is easier to get out more and enjoy the sunshine. What makes the difference is finding those bits and pieces of life that speak to you, replenish you, and just give you a refreshing break that is yours… to feed your soul.
