Retreat ...

The View From My Room

Last week I did something I've never done before. I took myself to a lovely inn on the Chesapeak Bay where I spent 3 nights and two beautiful days taking extra special care of myself. The Tides Inn has a wonderful spa where I indulged myself with a deep tissue massage, pedicure, facial and a reflexology treatment. I arrived there feeling sore, old and tired. When I left, I was a new person ... the low backpain was gone and I felt as though I was floating just above the ground. I napped often and sitting in the shade overlooking the shoreline, I read for hours. I walked into the little village of Irvington for exercise and enjoyed eating some wonderful seafood, too.

I'd never had a reflexology treatment before and found that it was just what the doctor ordered. Basically a massage of the feet, hands and a few other pressure points, your entire body benefits. There are points on the feet corresponding to all of the organs of the body and when you are finished everything is back in alignment and functioning well. I am still carrying with me the effects of this deeply relaxing time alone with just myself.

I often have a massage and do the occassional facial and pedicure, but I've never taken time like this before to do it all at once and to care for this shell that I live in as I navigate through life. I may just have to set aside a time once a year to keep up this very worthwhile activity.