credit: Rex Masters, Twitter
The truth is, we did actually reclaim our middle sons’ bedroom this weekend and it feels incredible. A place that I used to avoid like the coronavirus, is now a place that I run to, to just sit in, and to bask in its simplicity, order, and peacefulness. Of course, it will always be our boys’ room, and they are welcome to be in it at any time, but since their busy lives have taken them elsewhere for most of the time, it feels so good to have a place of stillness and tidiness, in what has been, for most of my adulthood, a rather chaotic, often sloppy household. (a four kids and three dogs family lends itself towards a little bit of disorder) My husband said that the boys’ room is like a physical manifestation of our new stage in life. I can see that I am going to appreciate some aspects of this new stage, for sure. (Although, in fairness, on Saturday, as we were giddily buying up accent pieces in a store, and proudly telling the clerk that we were reclaiming our kids’ room, one nosy, snarky shopper pointedly interrupted us to say, “You know that they come back, don’t you?!? Prepare yourself.”)
The responses from my sons, to the pictures I texted to them:
“Yo, is that for real our room?”
“I can’t believe that was our room.”
“Wow, that looks so much better.”
The one thing about empty nests, is that they sure are easier to keep clean and well-kept. I imagine that I will feel winsome for the chaotic mess, at times, but for now, I am going to go back into their bedroom, smile a little, and just breathe.
Are you passing on love or are you passing on pain? Heal your pain and pass on love.