care & keeping
February 25, 2015 § 3 Comments
There is little glamour to housekeeping and errands, but creating and nurturing the atmosphere of home with small obligations of care create, for me, a sense of purpose. These same tasks also validate the flexibility of my days as a homemaker, allowing for the luxury of selfish indulgences that nurture independent interests and creativity that sustain my spirit for more mundane moments.
This week, when my daughter fell ill, the frivolous pieces of my days and routine responsibilities alike were quickly scattered like errant crumbs. Instead of chasing calendar commitments, I marked time by my daughter’s inconsistent sleep and our puppy’s predictable needs. Without opportunity to invite company or pursue distractions, I shifted between loads of dishes and laundry with an almost meditative leisure. When my daughter would rest, I was forced to stillness; reading and resting at odd hours that contradicted natural tendencies toward busyness.
In times of necessity our world shrinks to the capacity of our ability. A fevered hand absently wrapped across my own shifted the balance of my attention with such clarity that I was more mindful of even the simplest effort. So many of my efforts to care for our home and those who fill the space with meaning are lost unintentionally in empty concentration or rote attendance.
Today I am thinking about how we love, the pieces of our routine that sustain us and the commitments of care that inform our intentions. The space of home as important as the language of family.
scribblechic 
I love what you said, “In times of necessity our world shrinks to the capacity of our ability.” That is so true!
Laura, it was the most uncluttered acknowledgment I could form in recognition of my limitations; a minimalist mantra of possibility.
A shame you don’t have a way with words. lol