I am an unsuccessful neat freak. It is my desire that our home always look "model home" perfect. I function better that way and I've long assumed it was because my mind is so cluttered that my home needs to be super tidy to keep me somewhat sane.
My husband and I refer to our bedroom as our "nest." Such, in our minds, carries the connotation of a special place that is a retreat from the world, a cozy place to relax.
The irony here is that our bedroom has for years been the messiest place in the house. And, I've had no peace about it. Yesterday, as I drove one of my children to meet her buddy, I began to rant about how she and her siblings are unmotivated really take care of our home. It was then I had a light bulb moment.
My bedroom is like the "mother" of our home... it bears the "burdens", the overflow from the rest of the house. It is the place where the older girls come to do the little one's hair... and leave out brushes, combs and what we call "bobbles". It is where the baby is danced in front of a mirror, his favorite wall decor, and drops a toy. Our room is where all sorts of things land as the family comes to this place of cozy comfort.
While I was taking a mental bath in this analogy, I realized something more... sometimes, I, too, become a mess for much the same reason. As I bear the emotional burdens of the family... this one is in a dither over school, another is sad because of relationships, one is overwhelmed at the work load, someone's losing a tooth and another is teething... I find myself looking as disheveled as my room.
Time to exercise, drink my gallons of water, file my fingernails... becomes as hard to find as the remote control in the master suite. The lesson learned here is that time has to be set aside and protected for tending to my nest and pruning my feathers. Such will surely make me a healthier resource of food and comfort and give the little chicks and the daddy bird reason to sing a sweeter song.
All this reminds me of the children's classic book The Best Nest... "I love my house, I love my nest... in all the world, my nest is best!"
1 comment:
Isn't it amazing that wisdom that flows from simple children's books? One of my absolute favorites (thanks, mom) is "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No-Good, Very Bad, Day". It reminds that the grass isn't greener on the other side! But, I will definitely agree that as the mother goes, so goes the house. I find my children actually sleep better if their rooms are clean. If that isn't motivation I don't know what would be!
Post a Comment