dailyprompt – Page 26

Self-Care Practice

It is at the top of my list as far as well-being goes. I do take care of myself and I have certain rituals that I do daily and sometimes weekly to get me back on track. It is not being vain as some may think, it is necessary to take care of yourself because no one else is going to.

I had an ex who referenced my self-care practices as nonsense. I didn’t need to put in that much effort into putting my best foot forward was what he said. I’m glad I didn’t listen to him! He is nowhere in the picture and I’m glad that my self-care practices still exist and are doing just fine.

My daily self-care practice is to pay careful attention to stress. It is a killer and I learned it the hard way when I accompanied a friend through the last stages of his life. I was always healthy but during that period, I started experiencing pain, health issues and other symptoms that I couldn’t explain. A consultation with a doctor revealed that I was under extreme stress. Her advice was to step back and take care of myself first. I couldn’t at the time but when it was all over, stress reduction became a priority. I do walks, deep breathing techniques, meditation, workouts and of course eating right. Just a few of the things in my self-care routine. However, on weekends I pay careful attention to my hair. I have long hair and it needs work to keep it healthy and shiny. Masks are a must, oil treatments sometimes and just some tender loving care. My skin gets the same on Sundays. Facials, scrubs and masks are a must to keep it glowing. It takes time but it is worth it.

Self-care and taking time out for yourself is needed to keep your health at its optimum best. Some may say it is all about vanity but I disagree. I’ve been doing these rituals since I was 18 and I’m not about to stop now.

I matter, my health matters and now, I take care of myself first before I put myself out there and let whatever it is to take a toll on me. It boils down to self-preservation and it is important in my book.

Daily writing prompt

How do you practice self-care?

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Wasted Time

I suppose I do waste a lot of time every day. It has nothing to do with meditation, working out, walking or the like. It’s more like sitting outside and watching the clouds go by and for hours on end!

As a young girl, I had this love affair with clouds. I would rope the neighborhood kids into what I called my kind of “fun.” It was wonderful just lying in a meadow somewhere and figuring out what each cloud looked like. Fantasy came into play and we had a lot of fun doing that. It never got old and we came up with some doozies! It didn’t seem like wasting time back then and it doesn’t seem like that now.

Some days I can spend hours just daydreaming and sometimes even giving names to some of the clouds! This could be a form of moving meditation but whatever it is, when I return back to earth, I am centered and very relaxed. Wasting time perhaps but it does me a world of good and that is all that matters.

Daily writing prompt

How do you waste the most time every day?

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Congee

This one never fails. It is an instant teleportation to another time and place. My mom picked this recipe up from a Chinese neighbor woman. I used to spend a lot of time at the woman’s place because her daughter was my friend at the time. Having lunch at their place was wonderful because you never knew what was on the menu for that day. It was usually something I had never heard of but I was more than willing to be a guinea pig. One time we had pig’s ears! Strange? Yes, it was but I liked it.

Coming back to congee. It is a savoury rice porridge made by boiling rice in a large amount of water until the rice is very soft, a sort of gruel. Mom used to cook this when I had a cold or wasn’t feeling well. She said it was a miracle cure! I don’t know about that but after a bowl of chicken congee, I did feel much better. Voodoo? Well, not quite. The soft silky mixture is easy on the tummy and hydrates the body. There are many different versions but I like the chicken or the fish congee. It is delicious but more than that, it takes me back to a place when life was simpler and filled with mystery.

Living in Asia was a wonderful experience. I learned many things both good and bad. The food was fantastic and though strange at times, I learned that everything is worth a try. You can always say no later. I’ve kept to that throughout my life but I hit the brakes on live monkey brains! That is a whole different story altogether for another time and place.

Daily writing prompt

Which food, when you eat it, instantly transports you to childhood?

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Martin Luther King

It was this memorable line from his, “I Have A Dream,” speech that caught my attention and pushed me towards a life of going up against injustice of any kind.

“I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.”

It was delivered during the March on Washington in 1963 but that speech which called for an end to segregation and discrimination will reach a young girl many years later and it would stop me in my treks as I listened to that voice, a forceful and rhythmic one which came droning out of an open window. I didn’t know what it meant at the time but I knew that it was important whatever it was.

I was far removed from a world of injustice. My world revolved around the fantasy world I had created in my safe childhood space but I would learn as I delved into books that the world was a cruel place and that even children were not “free” from the violence and injustices that segregation and discrimination brought about.

Martin Luther King was a civil rights activist but more than that he was a man of courage. It took courage to stand up against injustice and it still is. People have come a long ways from “Whites Only” places BUT there is still much to be done as we are seeing with the current administration.

“Let freedom ring,” was repeated throughout the speech and the last lines, “Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!” concluded the speech. However, no matter how hopeful it was, discrimination as we all know is not a thing of the past. It is alive and doing well.

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” MLK

He wasn’t a tall man but he came out as a giant using just his voice as a powerful tool and his stance of non-violence to get his message across. A one of a kind as far as historical figures go and therefore, my favorite historical figure.

Daily writing prompt

Who is your favorite historical figure?

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Tom Selleck

( I couldn’t get a pic of young Tom Selleck here.) This here is not him.

He was much older but I didn’t care. This guy blew in like a hurricane and had me in a “royal crush” from the get go. I loved everything about him especially that quirky grin that had millions of women around the world in a tailspin!

I had met three Aussies a few days earlier. Somehow they had managed to get my address from my younger sister. I came home one evening to find them in the living room cozying up to dad. I was not impressed. Suddenly I heard this music that caught my attention coming from the TV. I saw him and I couldn’t take my eyes off him. I sat glued to the TV until one of the guys said, “Hey Tia, look over here.” I turned and there they were with their chests exposed!

Years later, much much later, I would have a talk with my crush. He was doing the Blue Blood Series at the time. Nothing much had changed, he was older but that smile was front and center! I told him about that story with the young Aussies. He broke out in laughter. I then told him that they had nice chests but they were smooth as silk. Unlike my mighty crush! He laughed again. All I can say is that he’s a super nice guy and the crush has dissipated but he holds a special place in my heart. Nice guys usually do.

Daily writing prompt

Write about your first crush.

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Sri Lanka

I’ve traveled to different parts of the world but if I choose to do it again, the place at the top of the list would be Sri Lanka. The next one on the list would be the Bahamas. They are still on my bucket list, not that I’m going to get myself out of being a recluse anytime soon and head to faraway places!

Coming back to Sri Lanka, also known as the Emerald Isle is a dream place I would like to see in person. The island’s lush, green landscapes combined with the sapphire blue sparkle of the Indian Ocean would be worth visiting. If I do get a chance, I would like to live with a local family and look at life from their viewpoint. I’ve heard the food is spicy but delicious and the seafood, especially the crabs might be something I would like to try. The Ministry of Crab is a restaurant I would like to spend some time in and maybe stay there for awhile! The wellness retreats have plenty to offer and a week at one of these places would get me back to where I want to be, relaxed, stress-free and full of energy again!

The people seem very friendly and the island life is appealing since I spent most of my childhood on an island and I do miss it. Kicking back and just taking it all in would be something that might just get me out of being a recluse! Oh, and going barefoot is very inviting too!

Daily writing prompt

What countries do you want to visit?

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Resilience

The ability to bounce back, to adapt in the face of adversity, and to take decisive actions are all things I like about myself. I didn’t know I had those things within me but after having survived two murders in the family, a huge breakup that almost broke me and a few other incidents, I would say that without resilience I wouldn’t have survived them.

Resilience didn’t happen naturally and it didn’t just show up one day announcing, “Here I am!” It took hard work, the kind that is only possible if it was a matter of survival and having this indomitable need within to stand back up again and to face the world with lessons learned tucked under my belt. There were times when I wanted to throw up my hands and there were times when I just didn’t see the road ahead and there were times when I said, “I am not this person. I don’t have the strength within to do this.”

There is strength within you, the kind you didn’t know existed. You have to dig deep to get at it but it is there and when giving up isn’t an option as it was in my case, it shows up.

“The oak fought the wind and was broken, the willow bent when it must and survived.” Robert Jordan

Daily writing prompt

What’s your favorite thing about yourself?

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My Retirement?

Hmm….haven’t really given it that much thought. Peace, financial freedom, free of health issues and a feeling of accomplishment. These are some things that would matter.

I want my son to be on his own two feet by then and I hope and pray that Chachi, the cat, will be by my side. Older but still the feisty macho man that he is. I also hope that I have someone by my side to take walks with and to enjoy the slower pace of life. Not just anyone but someone who looks at me and doesn’t see the wrinkles that time has brought on but the beauty within. I would like to have a bestseller under my belt as well but that is still up in the air. Who knows it might happen and even if it doesn’t, I can say I gave it my best shot.

I just want to have this feeling within that all is well and I can enjoy my life. Nothing spectacular just an easy going feeling to do whatever I want and to feel at ease doing it.

Daily writing prompt

How do you want to retire?

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A Ratty Old T-Shirt!

Photo by Francesco Paggiaro on Pexels.com

Frankly, I can’t think of anything old that I use daily. I wear two chains around my neck, a diamond solitaire that was a gift from the friend who passed away and a gold necklace with a heart-shaped diamond pendant. That was a keepsake from my mom. Both are precious and I wear them everyday.

The other thing I do wear more often than not is an old t-shirt that has seen better days. It is faded in places but you can’t beat the comfort factor. It is two sizes too big and I just love it! When the weather warms up, it’s my go to when I need something big and roomy to feel comfortable in. I almost threw it away earlier this year but NOPE, it’s back in the cupboard along with all my other PJs. It was actually a gift from a very good friend who traveled the world and each time he was in a different country, he would send me a t-shirt with that country’s emblem on it. I can’t tell where this one is from because it is too faded to tell! Nevertheless, I wear it all the time and if it wasn’t for winter, I would wear it the whole year round!

What am I going to do if holes show up? A question I’ve been pondering myself. No answers yet but I know there will be a solution when we get to that point. I’ll just say that I HATE parting with things I love!

Daily writing prompt

What’s the oldest thing you own that you still use daily?

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One Favorite Moment

Photo by Jean-Daniel Francoeur on Pexels.com

It’s hard to say since I have so many of them. Beautiful sunsets, walks on the beach in different countries, the birth of my son, the first time he called me mommy and so many more. All hold a special place in my heart and will stay there forever as special or favorite moments. However, there is one moment that has never tarnished and remains as clear as day even after so many years.

It was my first kiss. Did I get your attention? A love story? It was. I was 21 when I got my first kiss. What? Try living a normal life in a very strict Christian family. Mom used to say, “I have eyes at the back of my head and I can see everything you’re up to.” That put the fear of the devil in me, that and the fact that I was saving myself for marriage.

Anyway, he walked into my life and I was a goner! He was tall and handsome with piercing green eyes. Half Algerian and half French. Yes, quite a combination. If that wasn’t enough, he was a pilot, a captain no less. The fact that he was as old as my dad didn’t matter. Nothing mattered anymore. He didn’t see the sign plastered across my forehead either that said, “Saving myself for marriage.” He was a seasoned playboy. The two do not mix. Anyway, the first time I saw him in uniform I held up the, “I am in love!” flag. I didn’t know what it meant only that he was beautiful to look at and he made my breath catch in my throat! Looks mattered back then.

Our first date was fantastic. We had eyes only for each other. Then we took a walk on the beach and with a thousand or a million stars shining above and….wait for it….he kissed me. I felt like I was drowning, dying, flying and everything in between! I was putty in his hands but he sensed something and asked, “Your first kiss? Unbelievable.” It was a long walk back to the car but something was changing within me. It wasn’t just a moment, it was a new beginning. One that I have never forgotten.

What happened to him? We dated but like I said earlier, playboy and an innocent do not mix. I held on to my beliefs and he couldn’t change who he was. We went our separate ways. However, my first kiss was one of my favorite moments of a lifetime. I stayed up there for three days after that kiss. Just flying around in heaven somewhere!

Daily writing prompt

Describe one of your favorite moments.

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