At one point in my life, I was a lifeguard. From there, I became a water safety instructor, and, since then, I have taught water safety and basic life-saving skills as a volunteer with the American Red Cross. One of the first lessons my instructor taught me during my training was, “When worst comes to worst, the saver comes first.” I remember being so very confused by this mnemonic device, since we, as lifesavers were risking our lives to save another human. That indeed is our pledge. The instructor went on to explain that drowning victims can be very aggressive, doing all that was necessary in their panic to save themselves, sometimes taking the lifesaver down with them.
We were taught how to avoid being lunged at during a rescue as well as defense tactics to escape a death grip when latched onto by a panicked swimmer. The lesson behind these exercises holds meaning well outside the lifesaving vignette. We simply cannot save others if we are drowning too. The best way for us to help our spouses, our children, our employers, or anyone else, is to be strong and take care of ourselves as well-prepared and well-rested warriors and formidable soldiers. We all need to chant the mantra of “when worst comes to worst, the savior comes first.” I know, however, that this is can be a very difficult concept for many women to get their heads around. Again, going back to very early societal modeling, women are taught to be caregivers, to put themselves last. I certainly would not want to scratch that beautiful female attribute. I only wish to suggest you must also be a savior to yourself. Care for yourself so you can better care for others, if caring for others is your goal. Moreover, care for yourself just because you deserve good care.
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