New Year o' Self Care

Songbird and I went to have our feet soaked today. Did you know that you only really need to soak your feet to release all of your stress? Unlike MoreCows who has converted others to the practice of bathing in the bathtub, this is not something I have really indulged in (though I've been thinking about it). Plus, there is no one in my bathtub that will massage my feet while I soak. It would be great if such a person existed but I don't even think that a partner would be that willing to do that. It was wonderful to eat chocolate, drink water, chat and soak in healing waters. How appropriate for the week of Christ's Baptism? It was lovely. Truly lovely -- though I'm more and more aware of the tension between my shoulders. I should have bought the cool contraption that healed our shoulders that Songbird was wise enough to buy. Eh.

After this ritual of self care, I read in a coffee shop and I think got hit on. At least, I think he was trying to hit on me. He didn't do very well but it was a nice ego boost. And then, I ventured to meet another colleague to talk about our new commitment to self care. This year, we will be following the Alban Institute's A Spriritual Leader's Guide to Self Care which operates on a week-to-week journey of journaling, reflection and conversation. It was actually a great conversation over more beverages this afternoon to be honest about the fact that this is a complicated covenant we are making. We have entanglements in our ministry. I'm active in her organization. She's active where I am in service. We have a complicated relationship that is professional, personal and collegial. It's confusing and wonderful. We admitted to each other that we didn't know if this would work because of our complicated roles -- but we are eager to try to learn how to make these roles function for the health of our ministry. I'm excited about to proclaim this the year of self care. I wonder what it will bring...