If you plan to grow old with your husband or wife, you need to start taking care of yourself now and continue to do so. Encourage your spouse to make healthier choices as well, and make doing so as easy as possible. Care for each other when sick, especially through serious illness or injury.
The issue of health has been covered in previous articles, but there are still aspects that we can address. We owe it to ourselves to take care of our bodies, minds, and spirits, but we also owe it to our spouses. We promised to be there for each other. Yeah, we only promised until death, but why rush it? Let’s stick around for a while, and let’s also make sure we have every opportunity to enjoy that time together.
Eating right, exercising, staying properly hydrated, having check ups, taking medication or vitamins, and getting enough rest are all part of self care. We also need to exercise our minds, become more well-rounded, learn new skills, share experiences, hope, dream, and work to stay sharp to the best of our ability.
Spirit means different things to different people. It can be an open ended spirituality or it can be religious. It can be a positive attitude or a oneness with nature. For the greatest percentage of people, it means some form of faith or relationship with a Higher Power, and it often helps people lead happier, healthier, more peaceful and more fulfilling lives.
We also promised to care for and love our spouses in sickness and in health. This covers everything from when your husband is lying on the couch whining over a cold, or when your wife bursts into tears for no apparent reason, as she struggles with PMS, to serious illness or injury. That doesn’t just mean when we feel like it. It means caring for our spouses at all times.