Water & Salt

"We go together like water and salt"

I know it's not a saying, but it totally should be. It doesn't sound romantic or even friendly at first, but stick with me here... because I have reasons, and they're good ones.

Saltwater is naturally occurring and covers over 70% of the Earth. It's full of life -  not just the plants and animals that live in the water, but also the oxygen that is produced for all us animals that live on land.

Water and salt sustain life. All plants and animals need water to survive. Humans (and I think most living creatures, maybe even plants, I'm no expert) need some amount of sodium as well. It's what helps our bodies retain the water we drink and can provide trace nutrients that are good for our bodies.

Salt is the spice of life. Have you ever had eggs without salt? Or a steak or veggies? Even sweet desserts have a little salt to balance and bring out the other flavors. How boring and bland would our food be without salt?!

Water is the base for cleaning almost anything, too. Not only does it keep us alive, it helps keep us clean and healthy.

Salt, while it's essential for people, is deadly to most bacteria. So it makes food taste better and makes it safer and healthier.

And think of what happens when you add salt to water. It dissolves from its crystal form and blends with the water seemlessly. But here's the important part - they don't become each other. You still have salt and water. You could boil the water out and you would still have salt while the water turns to steam. It would be different, sure, but it would still be salt and water. Separate and individual from each other, even if they were changed by each other.

So, yeah. It may not be the most eloquent or poetic sounding. But wouldn't you want that kind of relationship? Whether it's romantic, platonic, professional, or whatever kind of relationship.  Two things that are so complementary and so vital to life are good things to compare it to.

We go together like water and salt.

Let's make it a thing. 😉

Rest

My dad used to tell me, "a change is as good as a rest."

It was his way of saying that if one task was getting tiresome, that you don't have to do nothing, just switch to a different task. (He was all about being productive.) And sometimes, maybe all you need is a change. But, most of the time, we need legitimate rest. And not just physical rest.

Most of us, if we have a broken leg, we will use the crutches and keep off that leg to give it the rest it needs to repair. We know that the consequence of not doing so can prevent us from healing and regaining our strength and ability to walk.

For example, I hurt my back last week. I've had to do a lot more sitting and lying down than usual. I've had to take meds for the pain. I've had to be very careful with any physical exertion so I don't make it worse. 

And it got me thinking, do we do the same for our minds and our hearts?

We can't continuously power through everything. We need to listen to our bodies and our minds and take a break. Stop the rush and the noise. Recharge in the stillness and the quiet. 

Taking time to recover, heal, recharge - it's not wasting time. It's necessary.

How you made them feel

I learned so many great lessons from my mom. Even now that she's gone, I feel like I'm still learning from her and the example she was.

I was thinking about my mom this morning. Many years ago, my parents served a mission for our church and served on a cattle and citrus ranch. Part of my mom's time was spent volunteering at the local elementary school. She worked one-on-one with some of the students to help them with subjects in which they were struggling.

I remember mom telling me how one boy she helped was almost failing math, but after working with her, he was passing with a good grade. She was so proud of him for his improvement, and proud of herself for being able to help him.

I was a little surprised because Mom was not good at math! She was, however, tolerant, kind, and almost unfailingly patient. These kiddos definitely benefited from her gentleness in helping with their schoolwork. I'm sure she helped them feel safe and unhurried, so they had time to really learn.

It just goes to show that patience and kindness can work wonders. 

Maya Angelou once said "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."

You don't have to be an expert to help a child with math or spelling. And you don't have to have all the answers to help a friend going through a difficult time. You just need to be there - be a safe place by being patient, kind, and supportive. That will likely mean more than any expertise or advice, anyway.

Feeling safe and loved is powerful medicine. We all need it and we can all give it.