We have had some fairly tough slogging indeed. Ah, the new things we’ve had to learn! Getting “called” to begin with was perhaps shocking enough. Then doing our best to avoid that call. Then whatever pushed us to take the steps to commitment. And all the trials and tribulations that taught us skills we needed. Not to mention the allies and villains we’ve faced.
And the piece de resistance—having to face that stinking dragon within.
We are tired! But as they say, it’s a good tired 🙂 Our quest has been fraught with perils but meaning as well, and at this point we’re seeing where we’ve been, where we are, and where we’re going. There’s still a long road before us (and indeed, the deeper trials—the what we’re doing this for—still lie ahead).
But now is that time to pause. To take a deep breath, to rest. In the last stage, where we faced that demon, we’ve had time to reflect on what has been holding us back—indeed, what has quite often always held us back. To deal with that. And make sense of it all.
And I don’t care who you are in whatever story, this is when you simply must rest. Not reevaluate or reflect—you’ve done that already. Not that you won’t have to again, but for now, let it go.
Now it’s time to recharge—whatever that means for you. Whether it’s a spa day with friends, a week of afternoon tea in that special set reserved for “company,” but now a place just for you. Or something bigger, grander.
I’ve always found the reward stage to be commensurate with what you’ve done up to now, how big your quest is at this point in your life. In other words, you wouldn’t go on a week-long cruise because you’ve lost 15 of the 40 pounds of your goal. Okay, so you might, but not in my world. LOL. You may indeed, however, go for a mani-pedi in the middle of a work day.
But this is truly a way of honoring yourself for where you’ve come. And you have to do this. It’s not pride when you honestly acknowledge yourself for your accomplishments. As teacher Bobbe Sommer says, “Having a low opinion of yourself is not ‘modesty.’ It’s self-destruction. Holding your uniqueness in high regard is not ‘egotism.’ It’s a necessary precondition to happiness and success.”
Often in books and film (the great ones of which follow this quest to a T, and again, they come from real-life stories that writers make up), our hero finds himself between the sheets with his love interest. I.e., this is where you get a defining love scene.
And I’m not at all opposed to that one either! For the time being anyway, the course of true love is running smooth.
Because it won’t be long until the corollary is true. The best love stories keep a push-pull to them, and the main outer problem is still to be faced—in all books and legends and real life.
So take this time, in whatever manner nourishes you. Be proud of what you’ve accomplished—it’s been difficult! Reward yourself. Rest. Rejuvenate, whether for an hour, an afternoon, a day, or a week. That part’s up to you. This both rewards you, and gets you ready for the next stage of your journey.
Kudos from me for getting this far! You are, indeed, a hero.