You know, part of me really enjoyed the Tidy Habits series during the month of September. And part of me got just a little bit beaten down.
I started thinking that maybe YOU were thinking that I was thinking that Tidy People have it all together. That they are the cat's meow. That if you're Tidy you're better than the rest of us.
And secretly I started feeling a little critical of the Tidies. Yeah they may be tidy but can they sit on the couch and truly enjoy a mediocre movie like I can? Psh.
Don't get me wrong. The purpose of highlighting Tidy Habits was simple: to show how small changes in our thinking could impact our behavior so that we too, could become tidier, and thus enjoy our lives more. That part I really, honestly, loved. And I hope you did, too.
But by the end of the month I wanted to scream, "RACHEL, DO A SERIES ON CREATIVE HABITS for not-so-creative people!"
Because CREATIVE is where I live, people. And the land of Creative is messy. It's not pristine. There are crumbs on my floor and mushy zucchinis in my fridge and a ring around my tub.
That's because sometimes I sit and dream up designs and think about colors and imagine conversations and look at pretty pictures instead of tidying up all the time. Maybe last month I realized that I need to stop "just" talking about the kind of person I want to be and celebrate the kind of person I actually am.
Which is:
Creative, always on the look-out for inspiration.
Tired a lot. (Yes, I know I should be taking iron.)
Concerned about my neck wrinkles.
Crazy about my family.
Serious about making this place a sanctuary.
Convinced that Sanctuary is not about tidiness.
The truth is, writing about cleaning is easy. A series on Tidiness? Piece of cake. Hard....is writing about the stuff that really matters, like forgiveness and grace and listening to your teenager's music that you can't stand. Hard is writing about failure, the kind where you fail people you love in ways that hurt them deeply. Hard is talking about babies you lost and disappointments you face and realizing that you will never get a part in a major motion picture or have a fat bank account because of choices you made when you were younger. Hard is dealing with the baggage you brought into your marriage, or the fear of the future, or the agony of the present.
Hard is taking pictures of DIY projects and presenting them in an attractive manner. Hard is watermarking all those photos so people know where they came from on Pinterest.
Hard is writing about the things that matter most. And when it's 11 pm and I'm sitting down to write a blog post after a long day, I often choose easy over hard.
So here is my summary of sorts.
Having Tidy Habits is obviously a good thing. Keeping things orderly helps you function, creates an atmosphere of calm and certainly can't hurt your marriage. It's nice to be able to find your car keys when you need them. I like having clean clothes handy.
But I offer this promise to you: in the month of October, I will not mention cleaning, tidying or spiffing in any of my blog posts. I will only write about the things I truly love, none of which involve bleach or elbow grease.
In October I will celebrate sanctuary by highlighting the things that inspire me:
colors, pretty things, music, art, family and creativity. Possibly food.
I want you to see the things that make make life good, not just clean. Because the mess IS the good part. The cheerios and toys and wet towels on the floor mean that there is life and goodness and love under this roof. That there will be whispered "good nights" and "sweet dreams" in the dark, and you will know that you are blanketed with acceptance and belonging as you drift off to sleep.
That is what sanctuary is really all about.
Will you color outside the lines with me next month? I'd love to have you along. Let's be inspired together.
Love you, Rachel Anne
