….then the oxygen masks will drop from the overhead compartment…….
It’s been a stressful week, and I’ve lost my temper two days in a row. Once while loading the office dishwasher, which was somewhat satisfying because I just spluttered at cups and had the joy of slamming the door shut. I told JWo last night I haven’t felt this angry since I went through the “Rage Stage” of grief, when drivers throughout the metro area should have felt lucky I did not select the Murano-mounted rocket launcher, because I would have destroyed everything in my path.
Today was actually better. Since I can string enough words together without foaming at the corners of my mouth. Apart from meetings going too long, still – but I’ve discovered blocking out time for myself to actually do the work that needs to get done? Brilliant. It won’t always work, and I’ll also forget to do it, but at least the act of doing it this week is self-preservation.
The other part of that standard patter you hear from the flight crew, about how the bag may not inflate, even though oxygen will be flowing? And that you should always secure your own mask before assisting a child or companion with theirs? Yeah. That’s actually a really kick-ass metaphor for how you have to take care of YOURSELF FIRST if you’re going to be any good to someone else. I’m thinking about my friend Carmen, as she cares for her ailing mom, and how she’s putting everything else before taking care of herself, and that was the image that came into my head. Those hello-yellow cups we all hope we never have to pop over our nose and mouth (tightening the elastic, of course. I do know all the steps.) And we have to be reminded to do this, because our instinct is always to help a small child, or ailing parent, or someone else who needs something right now, but meanwhile, we deprive ourselves of very necessary oxygen in the process.
So that’s it. Breathe in, breathe out, and take care of self first, so you can survive and make it through tomorrow! That’s what I’ll be doing. With my tray table in the locked & upright position. And several empty bottles of Bombay Sapphire scattered on the seat next to me….