Tonight I’m sitting at the kitchen table, talking and half listening to NPR on the radio. I’m thinking about the process of anointing myself with oil, and what it means for my body.

Skin: It’s the largest organ in our bodies.

I’m talking with my partner; just the two of us are at the table, and I’m putting small amounts of a body butter on my arms and legs. A little at a time. As I do this I’m thinking for a moment about each part of my body. My ankles, and what they do for me everyday. How they carry me around. I’m thinking about ingredients. And how this Lavender is such a soothing thing to put on my feet. I’m thinking about my calf muscles. They get sore when I stand too long or when I sit too long. I’m enjoying the massage and the cool touch of Aloe in this particular cream. I’m using just pea sized amounts and spreading it out, a tiny bit at a time. I’m thinking about my knees. About a car accident when I was younger and the leftover ache. I’m thinking about my scars, and how much my body has been through over all these years. I’m grateful. I’m thinking about the pointy elbows that embarrassed me as a teenager. I’m thinking about all the times that these elbows took a hit so that some other part of me wouldn’t have to…

There’s something about skin. Maybe I’m thinking about it because I’m on a journey that loves my body, and I’m trying to mirror that Love. It covers every inch of us. When I think about skin, I thank everything that lies underneath of it. What a remarkable gift, to have a heart that beats and moves my blood without my conscious thought! To have cells that grow and duplicate and heal while I remain unknowing… But I do know that whatever I touch and whatever touches me, will meet my skin along the way.

Earlier today I was mixing up a batch of my Lavender Recovery Recipe, so that’s what I was using tonight. It’s my favorite thing when I really want to soothe and nurture… The aloe is so amazing. I keep mine in the fridge, on the top shelf, and it gets hard. I take it out whenever I think about using it, and within a couple hours it’s soft and whippy. But when I’m impatient, like tonight, I just wash my hands really well and then dig it out of the jar, melting the chunks in my hands…

Because of this particular cream, I’m thinking about Luauna, a woman who inspires me constantly. I’m thinking about sending her another jar. I don’t think the last one had the Lavender in it. She is a beautiful soul. I’m thinking about giving this product to people who really need it. Good thoughts, while I take in the scent of pretty purple flowers, ceremonial herbs and ancient trees that stand strong in changing waters…

When we care for our skin, we can take the opportunity to think about all the parts of our bodies that are protected by this beautiful covering. We can massage the parts that are sore, we can water the parts that are dry, we can feed the parts that are trying to heal themselves… When we take that few minutes to care for ourselves, we’re better equipped to care for our world.

And by the way, if you or someone you know is going through radiation treatments or chemotherapy, has severe skin damage or a serious skin condition, I believe they might benefit from this particular product. Contact me ( SheaByShay@gmail.com) and we’ll get them a Giving Jar. 

Spread the Skin Care Love & Enjoy your Day,

Shay Kelley