I always think I’m going to get a break after the holidays. That after all that time preparing, cooking, planning, wrapping, hosting, visiting with friends and family, etc., etc., etc., that there would be some time to take a breath and get back to a regular (maybe a little less stressful) schedule.
And then I remembered that 12th Night is here and Mardi Gras Day is February 25! Now there are more parties to plan, parades to attend, balls to get ready for – all with a new color scheme.
Mardi Gras fills my husband’s celebratory cup, while Christmas does mine. There is just something about observing your favorite holiday that can energize you – while sapping all your energy and bandwidth for socializing.
Life in New Orleans is one celebratory opportunity after another. And sometimes we have to take a step back. Sometimes we need to take some time, even 10 minutes, to do something that fills our soul.
I am not talking about the type of self-care that comes with a hefty price tag and hours of time – though I love those and indulge in them as often as I can. I am talking about making a cup of tea and walking outside under the big, open sky, looking at our beautiful trees and giving yourself permission to take a deep, full breath that comes from the bottom of your feet all the way to the top of your head, and then letting it all go.
Sometimes just that, just taking a deep breath, can change your entire outlook for the better. And believe me, with a 2-and-a-half-year-old who is learning and saying and running more every day, a momentary deep breath is sometimes all I get!
Happy New Year and Happy Carnival!
Morgan Packard Griffith
