Day 6: On Permission to Care

Our First Annual Lunar New Year Journaling Challenge

What is it about women?

I was recently in conversation with a dear and long-time friend, Sabina, who as well as being one of the most thoughtful and caring women I know, is also a first-generation daughter, partner, and mother. Sabina’s parents immigrated to the United States from Tanzania decades ago, and we often marvel at our mothers’ ability to care for families with multiple children.

In this particular conversation (where I tried almost successfully to convince Sabina that she should leave her husband and daughter behind briefly to take a solo momcation), we agreed that if all the mothers of the world went on strike for one day, the world would very likely collapse.

Every woman in my life is a caregiver in her own right. Whether she is caring for family and friends, children, colleagues, community members - she is always reaching far to care for the people around her in some way.

But I have humbly learned over the past year and a half to discern when we need to care for, and when we need to be cared for. Both acts are equally important. Both acts are needed to maintain and nurture our own spirits, and of the people dearest to us.

I recently re-visited one of my tiny, treasured books called Back to Joy, by June Cotner, to bring you these words by Susan Koefod that first brought me comfort many years ago in the midst of recovery, and which now remind me again to give our selves permission to care for ourselves when we need to.

May they lead us into our sixth day of journaling with great care.

Day Six Lunar New Year Journaling Prompt:

✨ Reflect & Write:

Care isn’t something you have to earn—it’s something you deserve. Sometimes, simply acknowledging our need for care is the first step toward actually allowing it.

• How do you currently define care? Is it something you allow yourself freely, or something you feel guilty about?

• Think of a time when you felt truly cared for—physically, mentally, or emotionally. How did it feel?

• What is one thing you can do today to care for yourself?

Wishing you all the care and rest you need and deserve my beloved readers.

Love,

Summer