A second, a drop, a thought later

Summer means more time on Rig, our 26-foot motorhome. We have her de-winterized, we stock her cupboards with food and clothing, firewood and charcoal, and we hit the road. We looooove to road trip. Every aspect of it: the pack up, the drive, the coffee and junk food stops, the settling in in a new place. Hubby and I traveled Europe as 20-somethings this way, covering ground in our first car, a Honda Civic, using an atlas and when we could, a local map. Back then, we didn't have GPS.

Last week, on our way back from an RV vacation, we came upon an accident. Actually, it occurred a few cars ahead of us. We stopped, of course. Hubby helped a women out of an overturned SUV; I helped with first aid. We weren't alone--we had about a dozen Good Samaritans converge on the scene, a few before us. One was a trauma nurse--I was glad to have a fellow health care worker by me.  The ambulance didn't arrive for many long minutes and the entire time, I thought of the worst case scenario for these women, and was grateful all at once that it was not.

No one can account for when an accident is going to happen. But these ladies were helped immensely by the fact they were wearing seat belts. This was the one thing they did that day to take care of themselves.

But what do you do everyday to take care of yourself? How do you fill your well? What does it mean?

Because I truly believe that filling your well is as important as wearing your seat belt.

Okay, so I'm not a health coach. This isn't an ad for a workout regimen or a diet plan. I'm not even the greatest at taking care of me--I'm a mother of four who puts my family first. I run on adrenaline and coffee and solid hope. But something happens like this, eyeopeners, that give me pause. It gives me pause for days. 

Filling your well isn't just an external action. It isn't just about spa pedicures, and retail therapy (though it could be! No judgement. I love gifting myself new books). Filling your well is also about reflection; it's also about acknowledgement.

Because how lucky we have been to have these days. But have you taken them in? Have you laughed/cried/talked about it? Have you decided what you would take from it, learn from it? And then have you taken the totality of your world and somehow made it so others can feel joy/hope/love, too? 

When I left the accident site, I said a prayer for every soul present on that side of the road. I thanked God for the miracle of those women's safety. But I believe the greatest gift for all of us that day was that we all walked away with our wells full. With gratitude, with renewed faith in strangers, with appreciation for air bags, and for me, with the superhero's determination that I have more work to do in this world.

Let's keep our wells full.

Take care, my friends.