The title is my new mantra. I say it at least twice an hour through the day, to varying degrees of effect. Occasionally it changes to simply, Be Gentle With Bodies, because cats are involved. Does she understand me? Yes, the words are familiar enough and she knows what each means. Does it make a difference? Sometimes. We'll see the results eventually; maybe I'll even get to say it fewer times during a day.
Too many late nights and 5:30 wake-ups have led me back to the way I felt when she first arrived home 2 years ago. Life is good as long as I don't make the mistake of trying to have an adult life too. If I go to bed within an hour after she does (ie, by 8 pm), then I might be able to function normally. The later I stay up, the grumpier and less patient I am the next day. But, if I always go to bed at 8, then I begin to only be awake when Bumblebee is.
I think I need to find a mantra for me...one that goes something like: find a balance, it doesn't have to be all or nothing. But, compromise has never been a strong suit. The question remains: how do I fit in the things I want alongside the things she wants and needs?
