In the event we lose cabin pressure... by ultra mama

I just said yes.I had a lovely 10-mile run this Monday morning; my first run with a new Ultra Lady. On Sunday evening she Facebooked would anyone like to join her for a run on Monday morning and on a whim, I replied that I would join her. Circumstances right now don't make it easy for me to just drop things and go out for a run but I really didn't think it through; I just said "yes".

I haven't had a run in the two-digits mileage range in over a month and this last Ultra Ladies day, I didn't run at all but instead set up a small aid station for my runners. Our three hour hike/run today was one of the nicest I've experienced in a long time. We talked about a lot of things and one subject that came up was "how do we know our life purpose?" I believe I do know my purpose... my sole purpose, actually my soul purpose is... service. In my life I have been a care taker, mentor, guide, teacher, coach, nurturer, healer and comforter. I became some of these things at a very young age in life being the oldest child of a mother who suffered from severe mental illness. I was many of these things to my siblings growing up; to my father and grandmother at my mother's untimely passing; to my children and friends, to my pregnant and birthing clients, to my patients, friends with cancer, the ladies I coach, my race runners, and my husband. Being so many things to so many people leaves very little for yourself. About four years ago, I had an opportunity to take a serious look at the fact that I don't "care" for myself the way I care for others. I lost a couple of very close friends through death and I helped give care to them through the dying process. I became really "frazzled" (Defined: To be feeling brain-fried; lost and confused; not functioning properly; slightly stressed; all over the place.)... yep, that was me. I won't go into the details but suffice it to say I was at my rock bottom of giving. There just was nothing left in the giving pool, not even for myself. I took some much needed time off from the real world, got some therapy, got quality sleep, learned to meditate and visualize, and slowly climbed out of the hole I fell into. But life doesn't always creep along gently. The last 36-months have been filled with breast cancer, GI bleeds, brain bleeds, pacemaker, surgeries, heart attacks, pneumonia, blood clots and blood thinners; all in our own household. My running friend is a professional massage therapist who back in May offered me a complimentary session that I never redeemed because I couldn't make the time. As we ran along, I told her that I make time for my husband, my children, work, my runners, and friends. I'm the first one to drop or reschedule my life to accommodate others but I can't find time for one massage; what does that say about me?  So, going to run with her today was another start in continuing to learn to care for myself and I will make time to get that massage. Blessings....