In the book "365 Health And Happiness Boosters" by M.J.Ryan she asks:
"Have you ever had truly gracious service from a waiter? (...) What if you treated yourself just as well right now? What if you gently required if there was anything you needed and then quickly went off to get whatever was required?"
Well, I had this service for three splendid days in the Park Hotel in Bremen.
Such a lovely stay - they even served 3 days full of sunshine, which is VERY unusual for my dear northern home city Bremen.
I felt pampered and really happy.
And when coming back into pastorale Bavaria having a lot of digital trouble with the Bundesbahn (German railway) and I went so nuts that for a moment I couldn't remember my password for my email-account (I use it every day!), I suddenly thought of Mrs Ryans' question and asked myself what would help me in this (mini) crisis at once?
Instantly I got the answer: "A nice cuppa tea - and please: not the usual elegant Darjeeling but a strong brick-red English tea with lumps of sugar and milk in it - as served in the novels of Barbara Pym for women under shock!"
My normal tea is Darjeeling without milk and sugar, because I read in a health report that it is far more healthier to drink it that way - milk seems to disturb valuable health qualities. But now I thought: "Who cares! I need something very strong and very uplifting now!"
And it did work.
What do you think of this self-serving rule? Do you treat yourself well - as well as you would treat a friend? Do you?
I think this is a good policy. If you deprive yourself you're likely to be a sad little person, not uplifting to the people around you. Anyway that's my story!
ReplyDeleteYes, I agree, Boud: to find contentment one has to serve oneself too. But I think that is not always as easy as it sounds: often woman are educated to "serve" others, always on the look out to make it nice for others.
ReplyDeleteI sometimes forget to "serve myself" because I am in a hurry.
I am happy to know that you treated yourself as you would a special guest. Now that I am older I wish I had done it more when I was young.
ReplyDeleteThat, dear Emma, is the same idea that I have - why haven't I done it more often when I was younger? "The Disease to Please" is a title of a book that I think is impressive.
DeleteThe Park Hotel in Bremen certainly looks luxurious. If you could show a bigger photo, I would love to see the green surrounds, the fountains and roof dome.
ReplyDeleteDear Helen, I will try to post a few photos of the Park Hotel in Bremen in my next post - though it is not so easy: I had only my cellphone and not my camera - thus the hotel is a bit to big for a photo :-) But I'll try.
DeleteRegular pampering is a must. I've always felt this way, as did my mother. In my opinion, to feel otherwise, makes us unhappy martyrs. The hotel looks fabulous. You must have left feeling very refreshed.
ReplyDeleteThat, dear Susan, is a very healthy attitude, which your mother gave to you. I have never been a martyr, but have sometimes to remind me to be as kind or supporting to myself than to others.
DeleteAnd yes: the hotel was a real treat, and as Helen asked, I will write a bit in a following blog about it.