Recently, despite the summer season, there has been plenty of rain. Great for the garden everyone said, and mostly they were right. However, on venturing back outside after just a day and a half of wet, chilly weather, I was dismayed to find my two beautiful hanging baskets looking decidedly wilted and crispy. A quick assessment of the surroundings showed that the roses growing above the baskets had sheltered them and prevented any of the rain from replenishing the baskets. Having rushed for the watering can, I fretted that I was too late and that the beautiful flowers would not be the same after their drought. While they did recover, they were not quite the same afterwards. With thoughts of self-care uppermost over the past few months, I was reminded that if we don't take care of ourselves and use the resources around us to replenish our health, strength, and enthusiasm for life, then like my baskets, we are affected for some time afterwards. We can be surrounded by friends who would support us, opportunities for growth and development, and green or restful environments, and yet be so overshadowed by our worries that we do not reach out for sustenance. What restores your wellbeing and energy? It might be worth making a list for those times when you feel too low to think. Pin a virtual sticky note to your desktop, or a paper note behind a fridge magnet...you never know when you might need that list. Here is a picture of one of my hanging baskets...before the incident!
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