Preening

For homeschool we had bird school this week. We discussed the amazing adaptations that God has given to birds to be able to fly and soar and swim and eat. We watched a video of this duck oiling all its feathers. It struck me that when I do self care, it is just like preening. It looks extremely selfish and like a waste of time while it is happening, but for a duck who lives in water all of the time, it is necessary to its very survival to preen every day. This has so many connections to real life. If you are swimming in deep water of criticism, depression, trials, addiction of loved ones, a stay at home mom, or anything that could quickly wear you down, you need to keep your protections up. Today I "preened" by taking a bath, reading scriptures, and putting lotion on my skin before the kids woke up. I made myself smell the lotion and enjoy it. Love is a healer and it is vital that I put myself around people who love me while I heal. I guess that is the lesson I am learning today.