Nourishing the Child Within

    I found out recently that my oldest daughter is pregnant. She was shocked, as were we all, because she and her husband had finally given up hope of having a baby. And yet, that’s when they often come…just when you don’t think there is any possibility.

     One of the things we discussed is her need to make sure she is vigilant about her thoughts. Studies have shown that a mother’s frame of mind plays an important role in the amount of stress within her body, and stress can have adverse effects on the developing fetus. So we’ve talked about whenever negative self-talk comes up that she brings in an equally positive statement after, until a new habit pattern is formed that neutralizes the inner critic. Since the news has sunk in, she’s been very actively eating better, being more discerning of her thoughts, and taking care of herself all the way around.

     In a class I’m taking, we were talking about the tendency to worry, and how important it is to make sure that when we begin worrying, or being self-critical, we stop ourselves and find something good to focus on, and it dawned on me that when we think we’re doing this just for ourselves, we often don’t bother. But if each of us, regardless of where we are in life, thought that there was a little child inside – our “baby” – who is affected by these lapses in self-love, perhaps we might be more willing to adopt a proactive attitude of self-nourishment for the sake of that perceived “other” who needs our supportive actions. It is amazing how we will do things for others, but not ourselves, and in this exercise of perceiving the child within as needing all the love and support it can get, we are called to our higher and better selves. 

By taking care of all of who we are, we become more capable and interested in caring for others. If all of us would nourish the internal being, we would live in a very different world. So I pose this possibility. Let’s treat  ourselves as though we are carrying a precious baby inside. What changes will we make in what we think, eat, and do – knowing that our actions have a direct consequence to that precious being within who is developing and growing? We have an opportunity to nourish ourselves in such a way that the best of who we are will be welcomed into full bloom.
From Seasons of the Soul 2007
Update....baby has been born and is a little girl.

Comments

[Linda Hill]

Truly loved your soul and thoughts are so beautiful written from you . You are so gift from the universe.
It always gives me a warm feeling to touch it as I was reading your notes.
Thank you, Kathleen