Sometimes in life things happen, extraordinarily good things, that I just want to hold on to, savour and treasure in my heart. I want to protect these memories from being filtered out by the world around us…

Yesterday, was one of those treasured moments. A day of many first’s for me!

Some of you may know that I facilitate parent-to-parent support for families raising children with hearing loss (Decibels of Love). Recently I’ve been working very closely with an amazing family, offering some objectivity and guidance with regard to schooling options and best way to approach both mainstream and special needs school.

This is my “paying it forward”, making a difference in the life of a child, one family at a time! I’ve been blessed with so many Angels on my parenting journey, and my son inspires me every day.

You will also note, through some of my blog posts, that our family is very small, we don’t have a pool of people we can call on when money is tight. We are “it” for each other! We don’t have the luxury to spoil ourselves, at all! Maybe a Spur breakie every now and then.

So I was very intrigued when Sam (the family that I’ve been working with) sent me an email in which she asks me to choose two treatments from a list and to confirm my availability for Saturday. I had no idea of what to expect.

Yesterday she picked me up in Fish Hoek at 11:45 and we drove to Cape Town, and parked in the basement parking of THE ONE & ONLY!!

We were spending the day at the SPA! The freaking ONE & ONLY SPA!

Walking through the Spa, the air was scented, EVERYWHERE! I promise you, if you had to fart, it would probably smell like lavender and tea tree oil!

Slipping into the soft robe and slippers, I locked my phone in my locker, no distractions allowed! Sam and I explored the facilities and spent some time sinking into the soft couches in the lounge where we did what we do best, share our stories and acknowledging just how far we’ve come on our family journeys and the significant small moments that shaped and prepared us for the BIG challenges in life!

While our bodies floated in the vitality pool we allowed the roaring bubbles to drown out all thoughts of responsibility and parenting. We welcomed the pressure of the water as it streamed down onto our shoulders and eased the tension from our muscles. It felt sooooo good, so very good.

We tried out the aroma steam room, a very strange experience for me. I mean, really, how do your lungs become accustomed to breathing in steam? A few minutes later we moved over to the sauna. The heat was too much for me though, so step out and into the vitality pool.

I had it to myself! I swam a bit, relaxed on the bed with bubbles pushing against my skin, I closed my eyes and listened. Listened to the silence, the silence of relaxation! I loved every second! I could have stayed in this pool forever, but it was time to get ready for our spa treatments. We were both having a facial and deep relaxing back massage.

Face down on the massage bed, I allowed the magnitude of this awesome and very special surprise, to wash over me! I closed my eyes, and whispered that this is okay. It is okay to be pampered and to have ME time. This new feeling was foreign to me, yet it felt so right, so necessary, so deserving! Just saying the word “deserving” makes me feel a bit guilty?!

I walked out of the therapy room, my legs feeling like jelly, as I made my way to the serenity of the relaxation room, feeling rejuvenated. For the first time, I allowed my mind to be still and soak up MY needs.

I felt really special, knowing that someone out there acknowledged that I needed to be pampered, that I needed someone to do something for ME, not for my family, not for my son, not for work. Something for ME.

This day of many first’s was a very special day. An unexpected day of pampering with a friend. Sam, thank you so much for sharing your DSTV prize with me. This kind and generous gesture was a first for me, thank you for a day that was all about ME! Much love my friend!

Sam, enjoying the healthy snacks while we chat.

Me, soaking up & loving every minute of being pampered!

About Sam: She is an inspirational woman, happily married, and mom of two gorgeous children, both bi-lateral cochlear implant users.