The beauty of taking a mental health day....

So I don't actually call it that. At least, not when I'm talking to my work. Earlier this week, I called in sick, and told myself it was acceptable because I needed a mental health day. A day off, with nothing else to do but relax and enjoy the day (despite the fact it was rainy and gross outside). Sleeping in, watching my favorite movies, catching up on some reading, doing some arts & crafts...a day just for me. Even though I had tons of chores that I could do around the house, I didn't do any of them. I relaxed, and played with my kitties, and enjoyed myself. And the next day, I felt so much better. Instead of tense and on-edge, taking my frustrations out on co-workers and patients, I felt relaxed, as if I had a new take on life. Of course, I can't say that it lasted more than a day or two, but overall it helped a lot.

On a similar line of thinking, I recently read a book titled Water for Elephants, by Sara Gruen. I didn't want to put it down...a highly recommended read, very well written. Ms. Gruen did an excellent job pairing together the current thoughts as well as the memories of her main character, and I found myself liking him more and more with each page I read.

I also recently went to see Up, the new Disney movie about the old man who sails away in his house with a whole bunch of balloons. The movie was absolutely NOTHING like the previews. It was sad (in a sweet way), and I started crying about 3 times during the movie. As Scott & I walked out of the theater, neither of us ever wanted to see the movie again - we agreed that it was one that we didn't need to get on DVD. A few weeks later, and I have started to re-think the idea that I didn't want to see it again. The movie made me think about my future, about my goals in life, and how life gets in the way of the goals that we have. So now I have realized that I do want to see the movie again. And I would recommend it highly to everyone else...although be warned...it is not the happy "easy fun" movie that the previews portrayed. It makes you think. And in my mind, that's a good thing.