One of the gifts I gave myself last year, and am continuing now, is the right to sit or lie down when my body tells me to. I have decided not to try to be superwoman any more.

I'm retired, my kids are raised, and what needs doing can (usually) wait or tomorrow. If I need time off, I take it. My health is doing much better since I stopped pushing so hard. I always remember my Dad, in his retirement, saying the workday ends at 3pm except in an emergency, and I try very hard to be done by 4pm most days.

My daughters tend to be hard-driving as well - until they collapse and get ill, angry, depressed, - hmm, wonder where they learned to do that? So now, whenever I can, I take "little loads" from them - a little load of laundry, a delivered meal or two, a few hours watching kids, running a few errands. Both of them are very appreciative. And I have begun to talk more about not trying to do it all and how taking care of themselves is a gift to everyone.

This past week we have been helping our daughter with a (very) unplanned move. She wanted to accomplish everything by Friday, with only Dad's and my help due to Covid fears. We were able to help out with a longer term truck rental, and will now finish on Tuesday or Wednesday - and none of us has gotten totally worn out, sick or injured by trying to do it all at once.

Sue