“There’s nothing more beautiful than the way the ocean refuses to stop kissing the shoreline, no matter how many times it’s sent away.” —Sarah Kay
As I sit on my desk here on July 31st, I realize that although there are articles in my inbox, notes from Rachel and new things we wanted to tell you, we never got to our July Newsletter. For this I apologize.
In 2021, it was reported that 41.7 million people in the US went to some sort of mental health therapy and/or counseling. I was and currently am one of those 41.7 million people in the US.
When you run a medical practice, own a retail store, sit as a Board member for an international non-profit, all while trying to be a Mom and having relationships with your friends and family….it gets exhausting.
My therapist told me I needed a hobby. I laughed right in his face. My mind was tired, my body was tired. That type of tired that you know mentally, physically and spiritually you are empty. Nothing to give. I needed a break, not a hobby.
So as the Universe always does things, it forced me into break time. My cousin got married in Connecticut where I got to see my very large extended family and have a blast. I was beyond grateful to spend that time with them. Then I found myself in Greenport, NY with childhood friends and their children that also brought me great joy. There is no friendship like friendship with people that knew you before adulthood. It’s so incredibly special.
I came home for 4 days. Bless my staff for their understanding as all of this landed on my plate. The next week I found myself with my kids and my best friend from childhood and her family at this big house in the Panhandle. I saw my “nieces and nephews by choice”, my daughter and her daughter rekindled from toddlers to now teens. Our boys are now men. Life moves fast.
It was there I realize I didn’t need a hobby. I needed to laugh. My best friend and I have over 30 years of friendship and can read each others minds without even looking at each other. This results in a lot of laughs. The type of laugh that you feel deep in your belly, that you can’t breathe and when you do, you snort and it starts all over again. The types of laugh that if you are a woman with bladder issues isn’t always good. For one week, I laughed like that. So hard I was crying. I didn’t need a hobby, I needed a week with my best friend and family.
Then I sped into town to put out some fires before leaving for Huntsville, Alabama where my daughter went to US Space Center Space Camp for a week. This gave me some down time in the deep South, where I was able to sit and think about the future while enjoying life in a quaint little town. I was able to refocus and breathe once again.
So here I am, at the end of the month, going wow, where did it all go. I walked into Faeve and said, oh how I missed you. Your scent, your energy. I felt welcomed back with the scents and the herbs just staring back at me.
I also heard something deep in my subconscious in the quiet. I looked in my lab, at my board. I saw where we Ieft off in June.
The Universe said, I gave you time to heal, now get back to work.
I didn’t need a hobby. I needed rest, in every capacity.
Now it’s Rachel’s turn. She is gone for most of August. When she gets back, we go back to full swing. We look forward to showing you all the plans and ideas coming your way.
We only have one life, make memories with those you love, as after your gone, that’s the only thing that is remembered.
Meredith
