For anyone who has lost a loved one, the holidays are tough, no matter how long ago it was. Well, this past Christmas was no exception for me. As I was preparing to host guests for both Thanksgiving and Christmas, I became overwhelmed, stressed and about ready for a breakdown. With no time or energy to clean the house, nor money to pay someone, I started thinking about my mom and how she LOVED to entertain yet never seemed stressed. She enjoyed bringing people together, talking, having fun and building relationships. It was not about displaying the most creative Pinterest table layout or outdoing the neighbors. It was about the PEOPLE.
My mother’s connection and genuine love for people was evident even through her own battle with cancer. She listened to people, shared her wisdom, cried and prayed with others, and was a best friend to many. Growing up, my mother never fussed for us to make our beds. And if our rooms were messy with clothes all over the floor, then we were told to close the door or shove it in the closest. This was not a concern of my mom’s. In her eyes, there were more important things to do then obsess about an unmade bed. Our home always had open doors to welcome anyone, it didn’t matter if it was clean. Now don’t get me wrong, our house was not filthy, it was straightened up and had a warm, lived-in feel to it. I think this is why people loved coming to our house.
So, as I contemplated about staying up all night to clean the house for the holidays, I decided to take my mother’s approach. I put away the dust rags and mop and used that time to spend with family and friends, stress-free. I found myself truly enjoying my time with people instead of worrying about whether or not they could see the dust bunnies in the corners of my living room floor or that I have a stack of receipts on my kitchen counter. My mother’s mantra finally sunk in: PEOPLE are important. So, to all those Martha Stewart wanna-be’s or Pinterest goddess’ out there, I hope you will spend time on authentic relationships with people and not simply on the outward appearances. PEOPLE are more important than a clean house. A clean house isn’t going to gather or support you while you fight cancer. A testament to this way of living was displayed by how many special people rallied around my mother during her fight with cancer.
PEOPLE MATTER!
midlifewisdom 