It was sunny, cool and absolutely beautiful when we arrived at the Stage Neck Inn in York Harbor, Maine in the late afternoon on Friday, April 29th. The Inn was perched on a small cliff right above the water looking out to the Atlantic Ocean. Next to the inn was a small crescent shaped beach. It was so beautiful and serene; we were instantly transformed into a calm and peaceful state.
Rebecca and I took this trip centered on a Self-Care retreat for Women that was hosted and led by Cheryl Richardson. Rebecca had registered for this retreat over a year ago, and the original plan was for her to go by herself. Then in January after realizing that getting to York Harbor would be all all-day affair, we decided I would go on the trip too and be her travel companion! Rebecca would spend her time at the retreat for women, and I would do whatever I wanted. I’d hang out, walk on the beach, watch TV, walk around, drink wine and explore. Not only did Rebecca attend and enjoy her self-care retreat, I too ended up having a self-care retreat of my own.
So, what did I do for self-care? Well, I read a book. When Rebecca went into her conference room on Saturday morning, I curled up on the sofa at the inn’s sitting area by the fireplace and started reading. The next thing I knew, two hours had gone by. And you know what, I completely enjoyed it. I lost track of time. I was engrossed in the book. I was comfortable and cozy and best of all, my attention was on the book and not in my head. My mind was quiet. I can’t remember the last time that happened. I spent most of that afternoon and all day Sunday reading. In the end, I had the most relaxed, calm and peaceful weekend, and it was wonderful.
That weekend, I gave myself the gift of self-care. I can’t even remember the last time I did something like that for myself because I normally don’t take time for myself. By getting caught up in a book, I had one of the most memorable self-care times I’ve had in a long, long time. Most of all, I came away with an appreciation and deep understanding that I need to make time for myself and to take care of myself. And as I write this article, I realized I need to do a Q worksheet on my lack of self-care. I have reached a point in my life where I now have an awareness of how important self-care is. My personal pursuit is to start carving out time every day for self-care. I’m hungry for it, and I deserve it. And, I’d like to invite you to examine how your self-care is going. We all need to take care of ourselves. If you need a suggestion, I recommend curling up in your favorite chair and reading a book.
With Love & Blessings and in Gratitude,
Charlie Ker, President Board of Trustees.
