Sunday, May 20, 2007

A Sign of Maturity?

Tonight, as I drug myself off the couch to pick up the living room and finish the dishes, I looked about myself and thought (and almost said) I wish I was a better housekeeper. But before the thought crossed my lips, or even finished itself in my brain the response was upon me.

You do not. If you did, you would be one.

Think I've been to enough sermons, motivational talks, and self-improvement seminars?

I'll look at it as a sign of maturity that I can at least recognize my stumbling blocks.

(Hubs says I don't wish I was a better housekeeper, I wish it was easier to be a better housekeeper. I think he knows what he's talking about. Oh, but the dishes aren't in the sink tonight!)

1 comment:

Melanie-Pearl said...

i think there's something wrong when someone has three kids and their entire house is in order. something or someone is getting neglected.

i just finished a book that challenged me to stop and do something fun once in a while when I find myself saying "I should..." or "I ought...".

i've recognized that a huge part of my housekeeping motivation comes from worrying about what someone will think if they pop in for a surprise visit. (that's dumb!) a certain type of perfectionism includes the want to please others or seek their approval...when i operate out of that mindset it only stresses out me and my entire family.

incidentally, i worry more about my own mom popping over than i do my mother-in-law. guess who the better housekeeper is? i've always known i wouldn't be able to keep up with my own mom. i think mom got that way because she was always worried about what her own perfectionistic mother-in-law would think.

i hope to keep a clean house that sometimes gets entirely picked up, but if i'm not very good at it (and i let others see that), it takes a lot of pressure off of me and those i'm close to. it leads to a lot more impromptu edifying moments with friends.