Spa for The Soul
August 20, 2007 | reviews
“We were not created to keep going and going and going, like the Energizer Bunny. It’s no wonder a familiar catchword in this new century is “24/7″ because that clearly describes our workweek, shopping opportunities, and how often we feel we must be available to others. Yet none of us can be “on” for twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. It’s simply not physically, emotionally, or spiritually possible. And when we try, we collapse.” Lucinda Secrest McDowell, Spa for the Soul
I sat on my dock today and read the first chapter of this great little book by author Lucinda Secrest McDowell.
It’s well-written, taking you deep into the heart of the topic of rest. I think that’s a word we forget to include in our life. All around me I see women and men who are fatigued, emotionally and physically drained, but who continue to take on more, and to push through the tiredness to complete one more task.
How much of this is necessary, and how much of it do we pile on our life? When my children were small, I wore fatigue like a second-skin. This wasn’t something that I created. It was just life as a young mom.
One day I realized that I was so tired that I had to change something. If only for a couple of hours a week. I took my three babies to a Mother’s Day Out every Friday for a few hours. Most of the women used this time to grocery shop, or to run errands, or perhaps even to pamper themselves with a manicure. I went home, slipped under the covers, and took a blissful two-hour nap.
Years later, I was diagnosed with cancer. I inventoried my life and realized that I was laboring under a multitude of self-imposed tasks. I was super-woman, going to night school, mothering, working full-time and commuting, serving as a youth sponsor, running to games and practices, and much more. I didn’t say yes to everything, but I rarely said no.
Cancer was a crazy interruption in my busy life. I didn’t have time for it. But something as serious as a life-threatening illness doesn’t ask to see your daytimer. The most powerful thing that I gained from that period of my life was that I was forced to slow down, and to take stock of what I really wanted to pursue in life. The things that didn’t matter were tossed out as I concentrated on living life fully.
The author of this book dives deeper than physical rest. She helps us to spiritually find rest. She suggests passages of scripture that talk about connecting with God. She invites you to make it personal, and to explore your own life for the pitfalls that keep you from living fully. And last, she gives fun and innovative ideas that any woman can do at home to enjoy a mini-spa experience.
Spa for the Soul is 138 pages packed with inspiration and practical helps for the woman looking to find a refreshing spa for the soul.
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