The Gift of Time

This picture was taken at Park Güell in Barcelona, May 2007. It was a nine day work trip to attend a Construction Expo. After sprinting through the booths every day and throwing pamphlets in our backpacks, we hopped on busses to walk through as many of Gaudi's buildings as we could. We came home from that trip and soon thereafter, I began to imagine the building we know as Healing Winds. 

Before turning thirty seven, Javier asked what I wanted for my birthday. TIME to take care of myself. Like many, I was last on my own list. Paloma was seven at the time. I remember noticing I was gaining weight and it was far too late to blame it on my last pregnancy.

We organized our lives to implement better self-care. Not surprisingly, that gift and promise turned out to be life changing. Two years later I became Certified to teach yoga. A couple more years and I began training in body and energy work, Thai Massage and Reiki. 

Several years later, at forty three, with a teenage daughter, I checked in again with the promise made, feeling grateful for that insight, voicing a need and doing my best to pass on the practice of self-care to my equally creative and driven daughter. 

I still pushed myself too far sometimes but was getting better at stepping back before exhaustion took over. I didn’t have the luxury of recovery time. My life needed me: present, healthy and happy. I made a note for the next time one of us dipped in and over expended: rest and recover. You’re human.  

We are all equally human. We make promises to ourselves. To others. To higher powers. How each one of us fulfills them is personal and often requires a healthy balance of discipline, flexibility, creativity and imagination. Life interrupts. Seasons bring change. Luckily, we can always begin again.

If I look back at my twenty something self compared to my forty something self, one of the biggest transitions has been from the lense of a perfectionist to a wider angle of compassion. A reminder to continually embrace being human and remembering, every breath is a new beginning. 

Renewing vows we make to ourselves, life partners and life work is a part of life.

Time is not linear. Nor are we as humans.

In Ireland, I learned how the Celtic Tradition views time as circular. That resonates with me.

Often, we circle back to familiar places and find ourselves in similar situations. We might even say, I feel like I've been here before. There is always more to learn and experience; deeper truths to be discovered.

The self-care routine I implemented in my late thirties inspires the one I live now at forty five. The intention is to do my best, value my time and in doing so, I value your time and others. When I take care of my health, I am modeling behaviour for my family and have more energy to be here for them. 

It is said that time is our most valuable asset. Being at home with the family in the middle of a global pandemic has given us the gift of time. 

The first commitment Javier and I made when lockdown began was to walk every day. This morning, as I got dressed, I noticed my shorts are tighter around the middle. The word voluptuous came to mind. I notice Javier looks slimmer. I think the weight is being transferred over to me. He laughed. That is good for his soul. This afternoon, on my yoga mat, I checked in with my core and worked on strengthening. That will be good for my shorts. 

If time is your most valuable asset, how do you spend your time? 

We use the term ‘spending time’ like ‘spending money’. 

Yet, money comes and goes. Time, we cannot get back. 

We can look within the timelessness of our own memories. When we revisit a time in our minds, we often say, ‘it’s like it was yesterday’. Our memories do not travel back; they are present and with us in the moment whenever we remember. Memories are one of life's grandest treasures.

One evening this week, after we finished our dinner, we remained at the table recounting our travels in Ireland, the places we visited, the busses we missed, trains we rode, dogs that followed us as if we were their owners, the lady in Galway who asked me where to buy boots. The memories we share are timeless and unite us. Sometimes, the table is cleared right after we eat. When we all stay, I savor that time. Especially as I watch both of our children grow more independent each day. Watching them grow is a constant reminder of the passage of time.

As we continue to build new lives, individually and collectively across the globe, may we move forward holding in our hearts and minds the word of unity and sustainability. May we hold space for one another respectfully.

The earth’s need for time and space to breathe for its ongoing care is as certain as the need I have for time and space to breathe for my own self-care, as well as yours, your loved ones and so on.

Moving forward, may we remember that self-care is inherent to health care and boosting immunity.

May we learn, grow and cultivate the art of being right here, in the present, sharing the gift of time.

May you be well, healthy, happy and live with ease.
Tehroma