Pressure Relief Valve

Much has happened since my last post. The election, time change, Halloween has come and gone, the weather is continuing to change. Honestly, it's been a challenging 2-3 weeks. I've had a couple of little health things, a couple of my friends are going through some real heaviness, and some of the classes at school continue to have real behavior challenges.

What do you do to stay a little more stable in bumpy waters? What is your pressure relief valve?

When I was a little kid, my grandparents had a pool (very rare in West Texas). So, on the weekend I was picked up by my Grandfather and he would tell me stories on the drive and then we'd swim; he'd throw quarters in the pool for me to dive and get. When I was tired and feet raw from the bottom of the pool, we'd eat lunch (always ham sandwiches) and my Grandmother Fairfax and I would laugh and laugh. What about, I have no idea but this was the ritual. We would always find something to laugh about and this was not a little giggle, no this was out and out belly laughing. Man, I wish more things made me laugh like I did then. (talk about a healthy release) After lunch, I would lie on the couch with these giant headphones on and listen to Disney records. Then, I'd be delivered back home.

So, during the pandemic when things were so stressful I had a dream one night and a story popped into my head and I couldn't stop thinking about it. Because it was a dream, I just had a little piece of a story but I would visit it every chance I could. So, I wrote it down. It was just part of a story but it was so fun to try and figure out what should happen next. It never got finished because as things go, you are stressed for a while and then things normalize and you don't need the release like you did. The same thing happened recently.

I know these little escapes are healthy, they are the release valves. One of my friends told me she always dreams of Colorado when she's stressed, the place where she grew up.

I've also learned that doing things just because is a wonderful gift. You don't have to do things to sell, or please others, or for permission, you make or do them just because you want to. They can provide release, relief, and clarity.

Happy Sunday Everyone, Big Hugs to all! Hope this week is filled with sunshine and warmth. (even if it's the artificial kind)