I don’t want to seem selfish or self-centered. In fact, I don’t like to focus on myself at all. Yet when I find myself wanting to take care of someone else, my focus is often drawn on myself.
A couple of days ago, my husband was in a car accident. My focus has been on him. I wanted to make sure he was ok and to take care of him, but at the same time, I have found myself feeling very stressed out. Just his being in the accident scared me. Then waiting in the hospital with him triggered massive panic attacks. As much as I wanted to focus on him, my body kept popping up with anxiety symptoms.
Today as I tried to take care of him, I found myself getting short of temper because I had a massive migraine. I decided to take a step back and try my best to do the crashing airplane idea of put the mask over yourself before you put it around others. I did the chores I had to do, then I made sure that my husband was okay. When I knew everything was settled, I took my migraine meds, and I went to rest for a few hours hoping my meds could help with some of the headache pain I had.
I know my husband is in pain and needs me, but I also know that I can be a much better wife if I take care of myself first so that I will actually be able to take care of him as well. That’s why God commands that we love others as we love ourselves. I have to love myself first to be able to love others.
My faith saved me. May God’s peace reside in all of our hearts.
