One of my favourite things to do during the day (especially a rainy one) is to go to the cinema. There’s something that feels naughty and decedent about it that makes it especially alluring. But it shouldn’t.
When I had writers block, many moons ago, I came across a copy of Julia Cameron’s superb The Artist’s Way (a book for anyone who feels stuck in a rut). And in it (without giving much away) she suggested we should undertake at least one ‘me time’ a week: do something that you enjoy, but don’t feel you have time for, or are worthy of. This, for me, is a daytime movie.
Life is exceptionally busy and we always find time for the things we don’t enjoy, but she rightly claims that by taking time out to do the things we do enjoy, it frees up our mind to get back to the more mundane with an extra vigour.
It’s like putting an oxygen mask on first on a plane before helping another with theirs. We need to make sure we’re energised and healthy before we help another. Otherwise, all we’re doing is making someone else’s life a higher priority than our own, which only has a limited shelf life before it affects us detrimentally.
So today, I’m taking time out to watch a movie in an empty cinema with a big bag of popcorn. I’ll make sure those around me aren’t in any urgent need, then spoil myself. And I shall do so without guilt. It’s my gift to me, and I know (now, from experience) it’ll benefit all those around me in the long run by replenishing the energy I need to help them. In short, sometimes being seemingly selfish is, in fact, being selfless.