dailydatewithgod

Often when I hear someone talk about doing some sort of soothing, I feel uncomfortable.  It sounds like an amelioration of weakness or a coping for something gone wrong.  In my critical mind soothing is a compensation for the bad end of things.  The dogooder in me is convinced that there would be no need for soothing if the right amount of preparation occurred beforehand.  Unfortunately, life is not that clear cut.  Fortunately, this perspective on life is not one that dominates my reality anymore.  I was so afraid of making mistakes that the mere notion of doing something to soothe myself or others after something has gone wrong scared me.  It would mean admitting I was wrong.  Unfortunately, this caused me to seek out unhealthy forms of soothing because life can be harsh.  I sought soothing in food and sugar because I did not know how to handle life.  Strangely I sought soothing in making my feelings wrong and turning off my heart.  God offers us a different kind of soothing. A soothing requiring us to go within.  I have learned in my recovery and on my daily dates with God that by paying attention to the prompting of my heart and taking a breath I can experience soothing.  A soothing which places me in the moment.  A soothing that makes room for whatever my experience is in the moment without judgment.  When I allow the soothing of my heart and invite its perspective by first taking a breath, I do not need to hold the same harsh perspective the critical judge in my mind is holding.  It is not a weakness to seek soothing in our lives, it is part of the deal.  It is how we find peace and balance amidst the dual nature of our reality.  When we listen to our body’s speaking to us we will know how to find healthy ways to experience soothing.