Why is it that I sometimes feel guilt for doing things that I don’t deem necessary?
For example – today we did this awesome 1000 piece puzzle. We’re gearing up for another snowstorm and my husband got it out and we all plunked at it all day. Then, when we were finished, I had this moment of, “wow….I didn’t get anything done today.”
I completely missed the time laughing at the time.
I completely missed the time together.
I completely negated the value of not working on busy stuff.
I completely negated the value of just being.
And yet, I know I’m not the only one.
Somehow we think that the recharging moments of life are a waste of time.
We dismiss them.
We feel guilt for stepping away.
And then, instead of being recharged, we wrestle with thinking we should have done more.
What if doing nothing is doing everything?
What if recharging is building back our hearts?
Listen….if your gas tank said that you had 14 miles to empty there is no way you’d decide to drive 55 miles without getting gas. You wouldn’t because you know that you will run out of gas. You’d stop, you’d get gas, you would NOT feel guilt.
The same goes for our lives.
We have to stop thinking we can keep going without filling our tanks.
Our hearts, our lives, our families need us to decide to stop – WITHOUT GUILT.
So as the puzzle was put away and that little guilt crept in instead of feeling frustrated by it I instead felt the guilt and then decided to change it – to pride.
Pride that I sat at the table.
Pride that I took time.
Pride that I said “no” to busy.
Friend – YOU ARE IMPORTANT.
Don’t feel guilt for taking care of your heart.
We CANNOT run on empty.
This is the year I’m fighting for our hearts.
Maybe one of the missing pieces in our lives is the willingness to slow down, to stop, to rest.
Fight for your heart.
Sweet friend – take time. Find your laugh. Rest. Recharge.
You are worth more than running on empty.
~Rachel
this first appeared HERE
