Lately I have been on an inner journey. I won’t say I have “neglected” housework, but let’s just state for the record that I am blissfully tuned out of my immediate visual surroundings. Nobody in my family seems to mind. Clothes get washed, dinners get served and eaten, pets are not neglected, Fall decorations are properly appointed. Outwardly, everything seems “normal.”
What started out feeling like a mid-life boycott of mundane chores has now become – well, more of a daily meditation on the essential. Gratitude for all that we have been given tops my list of essentials. When my eyelids pop open in the morning and the awareness of feeling whole and not broken by alcohol, ugly words spewed to a loved one the night before – I breathe deeply and thank God for the blessing of one more day. Whatever I choose to do with that day, my underlying goal is LOVE.
Is a clean house essential to love? No. Right now, at 49 and managing a life with 2 teenagers, a husband intent on planning the sunset of his career, and a boatload of aging siblings and Mother whom I love – I give myself permission to LOVE FIRST, clean second. I used to think I was getting lazy because I did notice the slowing down. This coincided with my sobriety, which began almost 5 months ago.
The whole point of sobriety is to NOTICE, EXPERIENCE and CHERISH the good. This requires slowing down (at least for me) and focusing on NOW. As much as I love and enjoy these new feelings, it is true my standards of tidiness which were low to begin with – have gotten a little lower.
Nobody is complaining. So I must not be lazy.
I LOVE this so much! Good for you. I’m a bit embarrassed to say that this has pretty much been my method of operation, well, forever. I get more caught up in a cleaning frenzy when I feel judged and when other family members point out the mess — but that’s another story for another day. I’m going to add your words as a new mantra (I’m sort of a mantra collector) — Love first, clean second.
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Very sweet and honest!!! Hope you are having a great weekend!! Love you!!
Malin
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Yes, yes, YES!!! I wish I could adopt more of this attitude. I’ve relaxed my standards (thank GOD) but still let it get to me from time to time.
As my husband says, “Why clean? Is the Queen coming?”
Sherry
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