Tonight I posted a silly poem that I wrote several years ago following a trip to the local swimming pool. It has absolutely nothing to do with Parkinson’s, but just something light-hearted I thought I would share. If it makes someone smile, when maybe they are not having the best day then that would make me happy too.
I have always written poetry and it is not high brow serious stuff, it has always been poems that have a bit of fun about them. My poetic hero? Pam Ayres. Anyone that knows her ‘stuff’ will get the sort of poetry I write. Maybe not aspiring to be the next Pam Ayres, but it’s all a bit of fun.
I don’t write poems that often, but sometimes I just feel the urge to do so. It is something creative and it feels good to write something amusing. For me, I love words. The power of words can be incredible. I love Shakespeare, for me his language is like poetry. I love a good book that transports me into a different life and a different world as I imagine the characters in the book. Sometimes, seeing a book come to life as a movie can be difficult if I have an image of the characters in my mind. Sometimes though, a movie is just the thing to escape from the realities of life. Life can be a serious business full of responsibilities and choices. Decisions need to be made every day. Small decisions. Big decisions. I joke with my husband – not completely a joke – that I don’t make decisions out of work or weekends. I am happy for him to decide where we go and what we do for the most part. One less set of decisions to make.
So what is self-care? It is finding a way to look after ourselves. To shake off the cares and stresses of everyday life. It’s learning to say ‘No’ sometimes and looking after ourselves first. It’s not taking on too much. It’s asking for help. For space. For understanding. It’s not feeling selfish for saying ‘I am doing this for me or I need some time for myself.’
So self care can be many things.
It can be:
- Reading a book
- Walking on the beach
- Spending time alone
- Spending time with those we love
- Sleeping in
- Getting some exercise
- Listening to music
The list could be endless, but it is whatever recharges your batteries. Whatever helps to take some of the daily stress of life away, if only for an hour or two. We all need to find a way that fits for us to care for ourselves in our own unique way. We may need someone else in a caring role one day, but in the here and now, the person best equipped to care for you is you!
My journey with Parkinsons 