being concerned with one's own self is not at all selfish

I spent a lot of time with family this past holiday week. It is a mix of fun, relaxation and tension. I suppose it is inevitable that when adults who have spent their childhood together are together once more in a small space, well, you can imagine some of the things that are going on in my mind right now. I don;t want to relive it in the written word. It's the little things in life that irk us the most. I have learned in this past month to be concerned only with my own interests and needs (within reason, and that is really condensing a very broad topic, so add a grain of salt here). All I can say is THANK GOD. Suddenly the habitual thoughtlessness that is characteristic of some of the middle children with whom I am associated didn't bother me. If the messy trail left by one prevented me from doing what I needed to accomplish, then I picked it up and carried on with my own thing. If it didn't then I reminded myself that I am not trained to be a maid and trusted that it would take care of itself. I also realized that these times, although tense in some moments, will not last forever, so I took what enjoyment I could and left the rest. I read a book I had been wanting to, I even took naps here and there and, of course, made sure I was spending my own time alone and relaxing each day. I also realized that being concerned with one's own self is not at all selfish, it is necessary to living a good life.