"The great thing in the world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving."
-Oliver Wendall Holmes, Sr.
I'm struggling tonight Chumps. It's T minus 20 minutes 'til my birthday and I've got the blues. No big surprise to me. I tend to do this to myself every year. Overthink the past 365 days and lament the fact that those weeks, days, hours and minutes are gone-never to be replayed. In a way, I should be grateful for that. There were plenty of moments that I wouldn't want to see again and relive. But then there are others that I would love to have back. Time's a 'tickin and I want it to slow down.
My oldest is heading off to high school already this fall and my husband is inching closer to his 50's than 40's and I'm nippin' at his heels. My Father-n-law had open heart surgery this week and reality hit me that I just might not have my four dear parents with me forever as I journey through the rest of this crazy life.
I know, I know...too deep for a blog about interior design but it's hard for me separate life from work, work from relationships, relationships from faith and faith from life. All of which I've been analyzing lately.
One thing I do know for sure...when I meet you Chumps, I take you with me. You rub off on me in the darndest ways.
Just this week, I met with a new client but wonderful former neighbor from down the street where I was raised. I didn't know her very well back in the day, but instantly upon walking into her house, I felt I've known her for years. She was warm, welcoming and her gratitude for life was something unlike I've ever seen before. I wanted some of it. Shortly after our meeting, I came across a facebook post on her wall. She was thanking the beautiful friends in her life. A friend of hers in good fun, posed the question, "What about your ugly friends..do you love us too"? That's when another mutual friend posted this..
"(Name) doesn't have any ugly friends. She only sees the beautiful in everyone".
This stuck with me.
Do I do that?
Only see the beautiful in people?
I can see it in houses. And living rooms. And floor plans. And furniture. But do it I see it in people?
Another client I met with this week has been struggling to make improvements/updates in her living room for a year now. She invited me over back then for me to offer advice and give direction regarding furniture selection for her main room but couldn't find the energy or time to move forward. I hazed her a little for this and chuckled with her this week on my return visit about her hesitation to replace what she had. Her response? "I've had it for 20 years and I just can't find anything better".
Another metaphor this week for me?
Could I say that about my marriage? My friendships? My interaction with family? My living situation?
"I've had ________________for 20 years and I just can't find anything better".
I think that's called contentment. And I gotta get me some more of that.
In my nostalgia tonight, I stumbled across a file of old pictures that we inherited from our current house's previous owners. Our beloved house was built sometime in the 1920's and has undergone many changes over the years. I usually love change. My mojo in my decorating business has always been about change and the fact that we need to make room for change in our homes, decor, lives, etc.
Easier said than done, I'm afraid.
In my own life, there's been another year of changes. Changes in friendships. Age. Health. Life seasons. Is there room for change in my life or is that just a cute-sy name for a decorating business? :)
I love my almost- 100- year -old- house. I love what it used to be but I've embraced the vision of what it still could be. I need to apply that to my own life this year. These pictures remind me that change and the passing of time can be good. The aging of this house has made it more valuable to me... the scrapes and scars and imperfections add character and charm. Sure, there are still improvements to be made, but it has been well loved. I feel that way about my own life. You've loved me well, Chumps. I may be scraped, scarred and bruised, but these bruises are sometimes what bind us together. (Sounds like a new fav. song of mine by "Train".)
Okay, so I'm already feeling better about this impending b-day. I promise to wake up tomorrow with my eyes and heart wide open to new and wondeful changes that will inevitably take place in this coming year. And as always, you'll be the first to hear about them. Thanks for knowing that there is room for change in my own life and not judging me for it because I'm not entirely there yet. You "Changing Room Chumps" are a forgiving bunch and I love that about you.
There's always room for change.
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