I’m tired

To be tired; still washing that last bottle

For the hundredth time.

To be tired: freezing up right before you go to a social outing—you still go and look better than you feel, laughing and talking to everyone.

To live tired; still playing Army guys with your son, living in each deep breath—-but knowing how much it means to him, it’s worth it.

To dream tired; you are not really tired, you’re restless. Up all night with your youngest and finally you get those

Last late night moments to yourself. You stay up later to have it last a little longer.

You wake up

More tired than ever. Make extra strong coffee, and you push on anyway.

Tired: just tired. You find a way to relax washing dishes after that huge homemade dinner was devoured. The warm water seemed to overflow your senses, and wash away your stress.

Tired, living and creating; you can’t stop creating, even right before you fall asleep. You create your life through your art, every single thing you do is a

Lift, a

carry, a sigh, a fold of blankets,

Washing of plates and little spoons,

Carrying too many things and your smile

Way too long.

It’s like you are on overdrive all day and all night, a battery that drives your live painting. It changes. It moves. It is also difficult—-it will not flow through your own peace. Art will come through your aching

Body, and your pain. But then after,

When it is published, you don’t feel as tired. It’s done, and everything is good.

Like how instincts drive a spider to spin a perfect web—you don’t know how you did it—but you did it.

Your Magnum Opus.

Your children.

And they let you —-rest tired

With a smile,

Because when they smile, you can too.

It’s okay to feel

Tired.

What will help you is

Your child’s warm hug, a kiss on the cheek

And that genuine sense of joy and

Wonder,

That you know you never lost,

Even all grown up

You can still play like a kid,

They create a genuine home within that peace you feel,

Even if your bones ache, and your feet hurt

The tired seeps off somewhere else

For a few moments,

Extinguished.

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Author’s note: We all have those times where we feel tired, exhausted and emotionally drained from all the tasks, chores, cooking and cleaning, and sometimes we wonder how we can get along another day. Sometimes it just in a moment, a long night or a day that just didn’t have anything go right.

Here are some things you can do for a moment to yourself:

And also remember, you are a person who has individual needs-emotional and physical, spiritual and emotional. Do what makes you comfortable, relax, smile and feel better. You deserve it!

-Melissa