“Don’t wait for someone to bring you flowers. Plant your own garden and decorate your soul.” – Mario Quintana
I teach college students. Recently, I was quite pleased when I found myself saying, “I excel at taking care of myself.” After getting divorced three years ago, I had to learn to take really great care of me. I had to learn to deal with auto mechanics and make visits to Auto Zone. (Trust me, I’d rather be anywhere than Auto Zone!) I had to learn to support myself completely. But most importantly, I’ve had to learn to make myself happy. I have taken on the assignment with aplomb. One of the ways that I love to take care of myself is that I buy myself flowers. The flowers pictured here are ones that I bought myself this past Valentine’s Day.
I don’t just buy myself flowers on Valentine’s Day, but even on random days. I’ll go to my favorite fancy supermarket and see the roses just calling to me. I place them on my dining room table and enjoy the elegance and beauty they bring to my home. It’s a simple thing that brings richness to my life.
Valentine’s Day can be tough on a single girl of any age. This year, I decided I was going to celebrate it by doing my best to be happy. I took myself out to lunch at one of my favorite restaurants in my city. It is a French restaurant that mostly serves breakfast and lunch with delicious coffee and pastries. Many of the people who work there are French and it feels like a mini Parisian escape every time I get to visit. I got myself looking cute and went out to enjoy a meal on my own. I loved it. That’s not to say that I didn’t experience any semblance of loneliness or sadness on that day. I just did the best I could in that moment to help make myself feel good and deserving of nice things, even if I am not in a relationship. I took the opportunity to send that message to myself.
Maybe flowers aren’t your thing. Find another way to invest in your happiness. Find a way to tell yourself as often as you can, no matter your station in life: “I matter. I deserve good things.”
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