I went to the car wash the other day. My son had used the beast, lovingly named Axlerod James Robert Torquington, to move a bunch of tree limbs and other yard waste the day before. I needed to clean it because the bed was caked with mud and dirt and I was picking up furniture. Axlerod is definitely a work truck that pulls its own weight around the farm. (dad joke.)

In preparation for my successful trip acquiring furniture, I took Axle to this car wash near my house. You drive your car through the wash and they dry it. You can pay a little more to have them clean out the interior as well or use the vacuums yourself. Totally optional on how clean you’d like to get your vehicle.

I drove up to the window, explained how I wanted to make sure the bed was cleaned too and the attendant lowered the gate to help ensure it would happen. I drove up to the wash and as I slowly drove in the gentleman attending the drive-thru closed the gate. It was too late for me to open the window to ask him to reopen it as the water was already at my windshield so I went through hoping things would turn out fine.

I got to the other side and they promptly started drying the truck. I looked in the bed and to my dismay, it truly looked worse than before I went in. So I asked the guys,

“Could you help me out? I really wanted the bed clean. I didn’t really care about the exterior as much as the muddy part.”

“Sorry, ma’am,” came the reply, “we don’t count the bed as part of the truck.” “You don’t count the bed as part of the truck? But it’s attached.” I was stupefied. “I know it’s attached ma’am, but we don’t count it as a part of the wash.”

SO I asked, “Do you have a bay I can wash it out in? That’s why I brought it in.” “No, Ma’am, we don’t.”

“Really? As a car wash, you don’t have any bays?”

“Well, we do. But only our car detailers can use them. If you’d like to have the truck detailed we could have one of our techs do that .”

“How much would that cost?”

“Our details run from $75 and up. They usually take 3-5 hours.”

Needless to say, I was flabbergasted and frustrated. I got into my big, sweet Axlerod Torquington and headed out looking for a bay I could clean him up in.

As I drove off it struck me: How often do we care about our outward appearance but ignore the inside? We all have an image we show people. It’s in how we dress, walk, talk, interact, they’re all outward expressions of who we are.

What do we look like inside? How do you care for yourself? And I’m not just talking about your physical body, I’m talking mental, emotional, energetic, this is the ONE vehicle we have to experience this Earth with. What do you do to buoy it up? How do you give it rest, peace, nourishment?

In this instance, I was genuinely seeking to help the lesser-seen parts and was being thwarted. I knew what tools I needed to help, how to use them, and the benefit they would make.
What are your tools? How do you care for the internal? And when was the last time you used them?

Right now is the time to increase your self-care regimen. It’s an opportunity to realize the importance of nurturing yourself and attending to your own needs.
By taking care of ourselves and tending to our own needs we are better able to help those around us.

I pray you are able to listen to your heart and nurture yourself as much as you nurture others. I wish you joy. I wish you peace. I wish you “Enough.”