I drove home from the grocery store in awe last night. I could barely believe what I was seeing! Did you know that you’re supposed to be able to read street signs at 60 mph? And those green mailbox signs… same story. It was my first time driving at night since I got glasses. I only need a very small prescription, but the difference is amazing. I won’t have to brake and squint anymore when I’m trying to navigate new places, and after struggling with anxiety on the roads, I am already feeling much more confident. I had no idea I was missing so much of the world around me.
The sad thing is, I could have had this revelation months ago. I casually mentioned that I was starting to suspect a need for an eye exam, but that’s where it ended.
No one told me, “That’s important, you need to schedule it right away.” That’s what we do for our husbands though, right? We push them and remind them and make sure they are taking care of themselves.
No one scheduled it for me, even if it meant getting a sitter for the other children or taking a day off work. That’s what we do when our kids have a need though, right? We make it happen immediately because we would never want to deprive our children of care that they need – especially if letting it go could worsen the problem.
No one offered to drive me and sit with me in the waiting room if I was nervous. That’s what we do for our parents though, right? If a parent or other loved one is facing a medical problem, we tell them they need to hear what the doctor has to say and we do our best to be there to help them with whatever comes.
So why, sweet mama, why do we not value care for ourselves!?
We ignore it. We downplay it. We flat out refuse to see anyone about it. “It” could be those baby blues that are clearly not just blues anymore. “It” could be that hernia from your last pregnancy that is really starting to hurt {I dealt with that this year, too!}. “It” could be a suspicious looking freckle.
Whatever “it” is, now is the time to deal with it. I hear your excuses: you don’t have a sitter, your insurance sucks, money is tight, you can’t get off work. I get it. Here’s the thing though… you cannot reach your full potential in life if you are bogged down with worry or limping your way through because of some ailment. Your family needs you and they do care about you, they are probably just used to you being the one to handle these things… it may never cross their mind that you need a push.
So I am here to push you today. Please make the call and schedule the appointment.
If motherhood has ravaged your body or your mind, it’s time to put the pieces back together. The last few years may have been a blur of babies and broken sleep, but it is not okay for your health to be ignored. Imagine if it was someone else you love with a need, and how you would manage to help them. Love yourself enough to handle it the same way.
For more encouragement and practical help follow along with us at Mid-Michigan Moms or me personally at MarriedtotheFarm. I’m off to marvel at those street signs!
