I got out of town to visit some folks. I’ve been looking forward to this, but I don’t think I realized the level to which I needed it. As soon as I arrived, I was hit with a nauseating migraine, exhaustion, and a sore throat. No fair, right? These all passed after the first day, but this reminded me of something.
Sometimes, our bodies wait until we’re in a place of safety, connection, and comfort to feel the stress we’ve been carrying, and often, these turn into psychosomatic expressions of that very stress. I think that’s what happened to me.
So since that time, I’ve been thinking about how wonderful it is to be in presence of these people, not have our days super-scheduled, have fun, and frankly, just be. I’ve already told you that I keep myself informed by engaging the news intentionally (important) but don’t let myself be interrupted by news throughout the day (also important). I think I’m also realizing how much I’ve needed some normalcy.
This is not about putting our heads in the sand. We listen, we care, we act.
But it’s okay to take a break, too. In fact, our bodies may need that very much. So if you need one more person to give you that encouragement, feel free to hear it from me: Take the break.
— Renee Roederer
Smuggling Grace 
Sometimes I don’t realize how much tension I’m carrying in my face until I sit down to meditate. I also have a tendency to suppress stage fright, so it’s not until after the performance that all the fear bubbles up and I feel sick.
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That’s tough. But I’m also glad you have a built-in moment to notice and also care for those.
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