Water the Flowers

When I was growing up there was a phrase that we used often in our house, “I need to water the flowers”. It started as a normal task that my dad usually took care of. We had beautiful rosebushes around our house and each evening they needed to be watered. One evening after an especially hectic day, my dad found himself getting frustrated and quickly stated “I need to water the flowers.” As he took his time making sure each flower was properly cared for, he was able to let worries of the day wash away. This soon became a family joke and each time one of us needed some time to cool off or a little alone time we would “water the flowers”. We didn’t always turn on the faucet but we did take a nice slow walk around the house. It was done in such a positive way, that no one felt the need to feel bad about taking care of themselves. Consequently we had the best looking roses in town!

In our fast paced world, I think that sometimes we forget that we need to take care of ourselves. When tempers flare or the weight of the day comes dragging home with you; it’s okay to ask for a time out. Spiritual and emotional self-care is one of the best ways to stay healthy. This self-care can be done in a variety of ways; meditation, prayer, a walk or a bike ride. Whatever allows you to step out of the situation and refuel. When we don’t take the time to “water the flowers”, our lives may feel like an untended flower bed; lacking the potential beauty and fragrance of life and taken over with weeds. If it’s been a while since you’ve really taken care of yourself you may feel as if there is a lot of work to be done. Don’t feel defeated. Starting with one small thing each day, you will quickly begin to make a difference.

When you find yourself getting bogged down or overwhelmed, take a moment to ask yourself…

“Do I need to water the flowers?”