Can I carry a little bit of summer into the rest of the year?
By Sr. Rekha Punia, UMI
Greater Noida News (28/07/2026): There was a time when I thought being busy was almost a badge of honour. If someone asked, “How are you?” my usual reply would be, “Busy…very busy!” Somehow, it sounded important. There were deadlines to meet, reports
to complete, phone calls to answer, issues to be resolved, celebrations to organize, crises to handle…For a while, it all seemed manageable. I told myself, “I am fine,” even when the soul felt tired, the eyes felt heavy, and the heart kept quietly pleading for rest.
For months, I ignored the little signals…a persistent leg pain…a stiff neck…a tiredness that sleep couldn’t cure…a heaviness within, that no amount of pushing through could hide. Skipping lunch because there ‘wasn’t enough time.’ Telling myself, ‘I’ll drink water after completing this task at hand.’ None of these seemed serious. After all, the mind kept functioning, the heart kept caring, and the body – this wonderfully God-crafted body – kept cooperating.
The body has a language of its own. At first, it whispers…then it nudges eventually, it declares an emergency. And when that happens, our carefully planned schedules suddenly become irrelevant. Hospital visits replace meetings. Medicines replace to-do lists. The body quietly reminds us of something we had forgotten: “I have been carrying you all this while. Could you not take care of me too?”
This summer vacation I tasted a bit of healing!
I paused. I breathed. I slept a little longer. I ate a little slower. I laughed a little more. I spent unhurried moments with loved ones, with nature, with God, and with my own self too. That quiet space became a balm. The heart softened. The mind slowed down. The body began to exhale. It was as if the soul whispered, “Ah, this is how life should feel.” It wasn’t that responsibilities disappeared; they simply stopped chasing me every minute of the day.
And now, as I prepare to return to my regular schedules from July onwards, the real challenge for me is this: Not to lose this detoxified state. Not to allow the peace of vacation to vanish into the noise
of routine. Not to rush right back into the same frantic rhythm, as though I have learned nothing from the warning signs. Let me carry home not merely memories of rest, but a new rhythm of living. A rhythm where I do not glorify exhaustion. A rhythm where I listen before I collapse. A rhythm where I learn that small daily acts of care are not ‘extras’ – they are ESSENTIALS.
A glass of water. A few quiet breaths. A short walk. A healthy meal. A brief pause before the next task. A prayer in the middle of pressure. A bedtime that is not stolen by screens and worries. A gentle ‘no’ when the soul is already overfull. These simple acts may seem tiny, but they are powerful seeds of life. They say, “I am worthy of care.” They say, “My body is not a machine.” They say, “My heart deserves kindness.” They say, “Even I am God’s beloved.”
Perhaps self-care isn’t about expensive holidays or luxury retreats. Perhaps it is choosing to eat lunch before it becomes evening…drinking enough water instead of surviving on endless to-do lists…stretching for five minutes between tasks…saying, “I’ll call you back,” instead of answering every phone call immediately…taking one day off without apologizing for it…going to bed before midnight…laughing more…comparing less…praying without watching the clock.
The beautiful truth is this: when we care for ourselves wisely, we become more available for others lovingly. A rested person serves better. A peaceful person listens better. A nourished person gives better. A healed person loves better.
On this International Self-care Day (24th July), let us make a gentle promise: Not to wait for the breaking point, not to wait for the body to shout, not to wait for exhaustion to become our teacher. Let us begin now. Let us choose balance over burnout, wholeness over hurry, and grace over guilt. Self-care is holy care. Rest is not a reward; it is a right. Pause is not weakness; it is wisdom. And you, dear heart, are worth caring for.
May this 24th July awaken in us a new tenderness toward ourselves – so that we may live not only busily, but beautifully; not only productively, but peacefully; not only for others, but also in loving fidelity to the gift of our own life. This 24th July, let’s choose ourselves – not instead of others, but so that we can continue to be God’s joyful blessing to them.
Happy International Self-care Day!
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