Just Lauren

I took Thursday and Friday off work. I had no set plans other than to relax. I needed time off. I needed time by myself. I haven’t really had that lately, and while that’s not terrible, it turns out I do need alone time more often than perhaps I initially thought. We all need time to reset, refocus, and to improve ourselves.

For the most part, I’ve done really well relaxing. I’m kind of surprised and definitely happy. I’ve read comics (of my own accord, not for the meetup), finished my last beetle cross stitch, played a video game (I know), and sewed another mask for myself. These days off weren’t meant for me to check off tasks from my to do list, however. They were for me to do what I wanted, when I wanted. Except for going to the dentist. I didn’t want to go to the dentist, but I figured instead of me going next week as originally scheduled, I should go on my day off and get it over with. Little did I know that the dentist was then going to tell me that one of my molars has cracked, significantly, and now I will need a crown. Oh joy. My first crown. I feel like I try to take care of my teeth but my mouth keeps laughing at me. Has it made a secret deal with the dentist to give them all my money? I mean, come on! So this upcoming Wednesday I’ll be going back to the dentist to get my tooth drilled into and a crown put on. Hopefully the crown will last for 10 plus years and the crack won’t get worse or it’s a root canal for me. Bleh.

Okay, I needed to get that bit out so I can focus on the happier moments of the past three days. I tried out a new pattern for this second mask I sewed and I’m really pleased with it, even more so than the first mask I made a couple weeks ago. I didn’t sew the elastic on well enough and one of the straps has already come off but I think that’s easily fixed so I plan on sewing that on tonight or tomorrow. I’d like to make another mask. Sewing is fun and while making masks does take time because I’m still re-familiarizing myself with sewing, it’s enjoyable to me. And taking up time is okay. That’s all I have in life, really, is time. Time to love and time to learn and time to experience new events and places.

I think this time off is teaching me that I need to do this way more often, at least once every three months I think. My initial goal was to save as much PTO as I could so that once I get the covid vaccine and once life gets back to a slightly more normal where travel is a thing again and maybe I don’t have to wear a mask everywhere I go, I wanted to fly somewhere every month. Lol. I can dream! But I do recognize now that I shouldn’t wait for that day to happen before I take a day or two off. Minus the dentist encounter, these days have been really good for me, so I encourage all of you to take time for yourself when you can. And to prioritize it. Because taking care of yourself will allow you to better take care of those you love.