“Every generation laughs at the old fashions, but follows religiously the new.” ― Thoreau
So why not just laugh now? – G
“If we do not feel grateful for what we already have, what makes us think we’d be happy with more?” — Unknown
Recently I posted a picture of myself in my kitchen, and I immediately started receiving generous messages from people wanting to help me “update” it. Along with their messages came pictures of how my kitchen could look, if I’d just put some effort and money into it.
I’ve always loved my kitchen, but after seeing those pictures I found myself looking at it through new, critical eyes. Maybe it was all wrong. Maybe the 80’s counters, laminate cabinets, mismatched appliances and clutter really were mistakes I should try to fix. I stood and stared and suddenly my kitchen looked shabby and lazy to me. I wondered if that meant I was shabby and lazy, too. Because our kitchens are nothing if not reflections of us, right? I decided I’d talk to Craig and make some calls about updates.
But as I lay down to sleep, I remembered this passage from Thoreau’s Walden: “I say beware of all enterprises that require new clothes and not a new wearer of the clothes.” Walden reminds me that when I feel lacking- I don’t need new things, I need new eyes with which to see the things I already have. So when I woke up this morning, I walked into my kitchen wearing fresh perspectacles. Here’s what I saw.
You guys. I have a REFRIGERATOR.
This thing MAGICALLY MAKES FOOD COLD. I’m pretty sure in the olden days, frontierswomen had to drink warm Diet Coke. Sweet Jesus. Thank you, precious kitchen.
Inside my refrigerator is FOOD. Healthy food that so many parents would give anything to be able to feed their children. Not me. When this food runs out, I’ll just jump in my car to get more. It’s ludicrous, really. It’s like my family hits the lottery every freaking morning.
THIS CRAZY THING IS A WATER FAUCET. I pull this lever and CLEAN WATER POURS OUT EVERY TIME, DAY OR NIGHT. Mamas everywhere spend their entire day walking miles to and from wells just for a single bucket of this- and I have it right here at my fingertips. I’m almost embarrassed to say that we also have one of these in each of our two bathrooms, and one in the front yard with which to WASH OUR FEET. We use clean drinking water to WASH OUR FEET. Holy bounty.
This is the magical box in which I put uncooked stuff, push some buttons, and then a minute later- pull out cooked stuff. It is like the JETSONS up in here.
This is my medicine cabinet. Since my Lyme is in remission and each of my babies is healthy- there is nothing in here but vitamins and supplements and tea. Thank you, God. This medicine cabinet is a miracle to me. Every time I open it I feel like I should kneel down and kiss the ground. I have an inbox full of letters from mothers whose medicine cabinets look very different.
Speaking of ground- this is our kitchen floor. It’s not fancy, but it’s perfect for our most important kitchen activity: DANCING. When Chase was three a librarian asked a roomful of kids, “what do we do in the kitchen?” Everyone else called out “cook” or “eat!” But Chase yelled “DANCE!”
I can’t even talk about this thing. Actually, let’s take a moment of reverent silence because this machine is the reason all my people are still alive. IT TURNS MAGICAL BEANS INTO A LIFE-SAVING NECTAR OF GODS. EVERY MORNING. ON A TIMER.
And look you guys: LOOK. This is the kitchen corner where I keep all my kids’ school stuff. My kids go to a FREE school with brilliant teachers and a loving administration and they’re SAFE there. The school sends flyers home about PROGRAMS and CLASSES and CLUBS to make my kids’ hearts bigger and softer and their brains sharper and their bodies healthier. This corner reminds me everyday that my kids have at their fingertips what so many around the world are giving their lives for: quality education. When I wear my perspectacles I can’t look at this corner without a heart explosion.
My perspectacled kitchen tour taught me two things this morning: I’m insanely lucky and I’m finally FREE.
In terms of parenting, marriage, home, clothes – I will not be a slave to the Tyranny of Trend any longer. I am almost 40 years old and no catalog is the Boss of Me anymore. I am free. I am not bound to spend my precious days on Earth trying to keep up with the Joneses- because the Joneses are really just a bunch of folks in conference rooms changing “trends” rapidly to create fake monthly emergencies for us. OH NO! NOW IT’S A SUBWAY TILE BACKSPLASH WE NEED! No, thank you. Life offers plenty of REAL emergencies to handle, thank you very much.
I’m a grown up now. I know what looks good on me, and that doesn’t change every three months. I know how I like my house. I like it cute and cozy and a little funky and I like it to feel lived in and worn and I like the things inside of it to work. That’s all. And for me – it’s fine that my house’s interior suggests that I might not spend every waking moment thinking about how it looks.
Sometimes it seems that our entire economy is based on distracting women from their blessings. Producers of STUFF NEED to find 10,000 ways to make women feel less than about our clothes, kitchens, selves so that we will keep buying more. So maybe freeing ourselves just a little from the Tyranny of Trend is a women’s issue – because we certainly aren’t going to get much world changing done if we spend all of our time and money on wardrobe and kitchen changing.
BUT. Listen. I’m nothing if not a tangled, colorful ball of contradictions. I like a good make-over as much as anybody else. So . . . HERE WE HAVE IT. HERE IS THE MELTON KITCHEN MAKEOVER FOR YA! READY FOR THE BIG REVEAL?
Before:
After:
Ba- BAM! Extreme home makeover! My kitchen IS beautiful because it is full of beauty. SO IS YOURS.
Today I shall keep my perspectacles super-glued to my face and feel insanely GRATEFUL instead of LACKING and I will look at my home and my people and my body and say: THANK YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. THIS IS ALL MORE THAN GOOD ENOUGH, ALL OF IT. Now. Let us turn our focus onward and outward. There is WORK TO BE DONE and JOY TO BE HAD.
Love,
G
Author of the #1 New York Times Bestseller LOVE WARRIOR — ORDER HERE
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2,233 Comments
AMEN!
So, so, so beautifully written! I am printing it out to cherish your words. I couldn’t agree more. I need a hard copy to keep reminding myself every day when temptation pulls on my heartstring to have something shiny and new. There is something calm and peaceful when we make better decisions to live as we chose to live.
This post is like a prayer, one that should be read every morning by everyone in our privileged part of the world. Thank you.
Love this!! So incredibly true.
Amen! Thank you for your refreshing perspective. It reminds me of all of my amazing blessings.
Yes, yes, and yes!!!
I love this!! It is so easy to lose perspective about what is really important in life!! I absolutely adore your after picture!! That is a true kitchen make over!! You are definitely doing something right when your kid equates dancing with what you do in a kitchen – I will smile about that all day!!
G, you are the best. This was a great, great post with a perfect ending – love the before and after photos. What an awesome reminder, and thanks for putting real stats in, too!
This actually made me tear up and my heart full. Thanks for the needed reminder that we are all truly blessed. The Lord blesses my family each day, and we all fogey or take for granted those blessings. I try to remember to be thankful for things like my car, that I can buy gas without wondering if I can also pay another bill, that I can splurge and buy two different types of milk(and sometimes three, because each of my children prefer a different kind), that I can wash my clothes and dry them right in my garage(and that I have a garage to store all of that extra STUFF!) Really when you stop and think, the list goes on and on, but like you, my most precious blessings are my family, who fill my home with love and warmth, and make my house my home.Thanks for this reminder. It’s true, a lot of these magazines, websites(ahem, pinterest anyone?), and blogs, just help to remind us of what we lack in life. But then we get a few that really are worth the precious time in our day! Thanks 🙂
You nailed it. Well said. It’s hard to walk into other peoples’ homes and see the new, trendy and matched ‘stuff’ and then come home and see my ancient cupboards, mismatched appliances, dated counter tops….etc. But with your perspecticals I see it in a new light. Cuz seriously, who cares. We have SO much. The fridge keeps our stuff cold as you said, the coffee maker (though mismatched and cheep) makes me ecstatic every time I wake up, the stove has 4!!! burners that all work…at the same time. My scratched up table seats all of us for family dinners every day…..ya, counting my blessings. Thx.
Beautiful. Beautiful. Thank you!!!
YOU DID IT! So many get caught up in “the look” they forget about the function of a kitchen. Yes its a place to cook, but also a place to get messy and make memories. My grandma’s kitchen got an update from the 70s avocado green trend and I was heartbroken. So many were wrapped up in that “outdated” look. Now it just doesn’t feel the same.
Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!!! I’ve shared this post and it really changed my perspective. You are awesome and genuine. I too am blessed with all you have 🙂 and I just had to stop and be thankful. No more worrying that its just not good enough… For WHOM??? Those who live here and love here like it just fine xoxoxo
Well now, I think that might be the best makeover I’ve ever seen!
Your kitchen is perfect.
I really enjoyed your story and am so glad to know that I’m not the only one out there. my girlfriends have big beautiful homes, and all the extras.. I like my home, the kitchen is too small..but I love the closeness when the kids are in there helping me. my house is plain. but that’s me. I don’t go clothes shopping until theres a chance I might have to go naked. my plain little house has the wonderful memories of my hubby and I raising 11 kids and our zoo of animals.
I once read an article by a woman who said that she subscribed to a dozen “beautiful home” magazines. She would look at them all of the time and dream of what she would do if she “ever won the lottery.” She found herself upset and depressed a good deal of the time, not content with what she had, yet not of the means to change it.
So, what did she do?
She threw out the magazines and stopped her subscription, and she said her happiness went through the roof. Granted, she still desired to decorate and change things, but she was more practical, and learned that even little updates (vase of flowers or new throw rugs) could make a huge difference.
I took stock in that article and did the same. I stopped looking at the grass on the other side. I made a commitment to look at what I had and be happy, and I did. This poured over to other sides of my life, too. Not just my decor. Sure, things could be better, but they could be a lot worse. When you stop to count your blessings, you realize how truly rich you are.
Beautiful post. Thank you for sharing. <3
WOW!! Thank you so much! I was really blessed by this.
This is THE best post I have ever read!! Thank you for sharing what is truly important.
The world would benefit from more people with your perspective. Thanks for sharing a truly worthwhile post!!
Thank you thank you thank you! Just what I needed to hear today. And tomorrow. And the day after that.
Thank you! I may just read this every morning. And “Carpe Kairos!” Love it! 🙂
Now I have one more thing to be grateful for – this post! Thank you so much for giving me perspectacles. I have been griping about my kitchen for years. No more. My husband, kids and me are all blessed with good health, and access to all that you mentioned in your post. You really set me straight and I needed it. Thank you.
Alhamdulillah I needed to read this today. I’ve spent so much money on kitchen gadgets it’s disgraceful. Think I’ll start donating to the local mosque so they can build more wells for all the Mums with buckets instead of taps.
I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!
This is the best thing I’ve read in awhile. thanks from your newest devoted fan
Bless you for this post!! My kids are grown and gone, both raised in this same house with this same kitchen and now I have grandchildren who are posting art and handprints in my kitchen and I love every single paper and smudge they leave. This is history to me, my family history and can never ever be replaced by a “new” kitchen. We are truly blessed and “new” is not always necessary to make us happy!
I have an itsy bitsy galley kitchen in my current apartment. To me, YOUR kitchen is my dream! It’s all about perspective 🙂 (Love the coffee maker part the best)
Wonderful thoughts. I love the gratitude and perspective check.
G!!!!!! I adore you!!!!! Thank you for your amazing perspective!!! I had this aha moment about my house the other week. It’s not my dream home BUT there are so many things about it that I am grateful for about it!!! I Love that Chase said “Dance!” I love that you accentuate the positive!!! Keeping it real!!!! Thank you!!!!!!!
Thank you Thank you Thank you
I love this so so so much!
Makes me want to take a picture of my kitchen and send it to you (which ten minutes ago I would NEVER have wanted to do for fear of judgement!)
Just thanks 🙂
You rock! What a great eye-opener to a lot of people. Thanks.
Loved it! Every bit of it.
Glennon, you write some fantastic essays and lean in beautifully to this act of living but I would have to say this is one of my favorites! Good for you and good for us that you shared your choice of gratitude.
This has got to win Blog Post of the year…Such a great message 🙂
AMEN, Sister!! There is not enough space in this blog for me to explain how much your post means to me! Superbly written, timely, and maybe even *necessary* for some of us to hear (read). Thank You!
“Perspectacles” now has a permanent place in my vocabulary, right next to “Gratitude.”
What a fresh reminder to be thankful! Someone shared this on Instagram this morning. I am much older than your 40 years and live in a farm house that will be 100 years old next year. Find myself too prideful sometimes and not thankful for what I have! Thank you for this very needed reminder!! Oh yes! I’m seeing my kitchen (and every other room in this OLD house) through different eyes! Looks beautiful to me right now! All it needed was a “thankful heart” makeover! Blessings!
This brought (happy) tears to my eyes, what a beautiful family! Your kitchen is nicer then mine (although I have new appliances) For 14 years I have been begging for a new kitchen but I am always given the choice…. if we do the kitchen there will be no money for a family vacation. I always choose the vacation, the kids won’t remember our kitchen but they will have wonderful memories of our family trips. I am beyond blessed thank you for the reminder! We need to keep our priorities straight! <3
your kitchen is downright space age compared to mine. we moved into my moms house about 8 mos ago. she bought this house in 1964 and except for a dishwasher, that’s how it is now. I call it retro. I did buy a new fridge when we moved in–my first ice and water thru the door. if I fall into an extra $10000 I might update but I am 71 and everything works so I will be happy with what I have.
Thanks for sharing this awesome article, it made my day. I don’t follow trends, but sometimes get caught up in the business of life. Just a nice reminder of what truly matters most.
Thank you so much for your words and the reminder of what is truly important. I was brought to tears. You have a beautiful family…love the genuine smiles on them all! You’re doing a great job! May you continue to be blessed.
Love this!! However, school isn’t exactly free…I know exactly how much I pay, it’s on my property tax bill 🙂 But is a very reasonable amount considering school prices around the world.
You are so right, that your kitchen is bountiful. The picture with the kids is awesome. I’d love your kitchen, it’s gorgeous compared to mine. But like yours, mine has all of what is most important.
I think your kitchen before and after is beautiful, warm and cozy and shows a family that loves each other lives there. I am in the process of selling my house and I had to remove everything personal from my kitchen and almost everything from my counters (I rebelled when it cam to the coffee maker and toaster and the cross on my fridge). It looks so sterile now. I can’t wait till I can go back to my things my way.
This is the first time visiting your blog but I really wanted to say “thank you” for an inspiring and well-written post. My family and I just moved into a new living space with all new appliances and fancy nonsense (which doesn’t impress me) but it is of no value when compared with the family that uses it. We need more contentment in our world and less wanting whatever is new and shiny, for contentment is the real treasure while “new and shiny” eventually fades away. It’s a sad commentary on readers who feel they must try to help “fix” what clearly isn’t broken. Tell ’em to SHADDDDDUPPPPPP. 🙂
i don’t understand why anyone would have anything to say about the way her kitchen looks. there’s nothing wrong with it. i don’t see her appliances as outdated. out dated to me would be like the wood burning stoves or something. something that doesn’t work well anymore. we had the same washer and dryer for about 13 years before they gave out. we have a newer washer and dryer now. my grandma’s house would DEFINITELY look better with an updated kitchen with her lime slice decorated cabinet knobs and wallpapered walls. she still has the skeleton key bedroom doors. you know why? BECAUSE THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THEM AND NO IMMEDIATE NEED TO REPLACE THEM! a lot of things in my grandma’s house would definitely need to be updated according to today’s standards. but you know what? she also lives by herself in a 4 bedroom house and works at walmart. so i’m gonna go ahead and say that updating what doesn’t really need to be updated isn’t her priority. she loves her house just the way it is.
I LOVE my kitchen, yet almost everyone who comes into the house advises me to update it. It’s the kitchen my granny designed and I love the dark wood cabinets, the butcher-block formica, and the little breakfast nook. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!
Thank you for this beautiful post. We all need this kind of reminder and perspective sometimes. The world can consume us. I constantly live where people around me talk about upgrading to bigger homes and always ask how I can live in my home with a family of 6 in a 1500 sq ft. Home. I often envy and dream of moving into a bigger home, but when it comes right down to it the Lord reminds me that I have more than most. Living in the US we all have more than most around the world. We are lucky and fortunate and truly blessed. Thank you for having the courage to share this message.
Thank you so much for writing this! It’s wonderful. You’re wonderful. Your kids are wonderful.
Bravo!
I live in a rent house and I’ve been wanting the landlord to change the counter tops since they are the old, square tiles. I just hate the grout. But they are white and not magenta or evergreen so, that’s good. 😉
Thank you for giving me perspective on all the awesome things I DO have in this life, even if just in my kitchen. 😀
In my world, the fridge has no light, the shelves are broken, and the freezer is held sit by a bungee cord. The oven has two songs, zero and 500. But I still cram food in both and for that, I am thankful.
Shut ** and settings** darn autofill.
I love the auto correct…the oven has two “songs”!
Enjoyed what you wrote! But I do not understand one thing- why anyone would say your kitchen needs improvement. It is fancy!
Beautiful family, beautiful kitchen and beautiful perspectacles!!
This moved me to tears this morning and spoke to me exactly where I needed to be spoken to. Exactly what I needed to hear. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Thank you, our perspective is so important. My kitchen is stuck in the 1950’s..but it is a place where our family of 5 now grown kids grew up, shared love, learned tons and is full of memories! When everyone is home, it’s still full of kids, fun, food and lots of love!
You are so awesome! I love your perspective, and you are lots younger than me and you taught me something today that I knew but allowed people to make me forget!
Your kitchen is beautiful! So are YOU. I can not believe there are such shallow people who actually think it their place to comment on a part of your home. I feel bad for them.
Yes, but what would Nate Berkus say? Hmmmm?;)
I have a home that is 65 years old and the kitchen has original countertops and cabinets. Many times I have thought it would be nice to update (it needs it) but the reality is, when I die no one will care whether my kitchen had new stuff! They will talk about how well I loved or how I cared about people and cared for my children. People are important! stuff is not, God loves us right where we are. I absolutely loved this post. She has the right perspective.
I relate to you and other commenters on many levels. I was diagnosed with late stage Lyme Disease in 2000. I now have Multiple Sclerosis. My kitchen is a 1 man kitchen-not 1 and a child, not 1 and a dog, just 1. It is a classic 1980’s kitchen that I would love to redo! HOWEVER, as you so eloquently described, it is a want, not a need. So, I will “want” longer and continue to teach my son the difference! Thank you!
I agree 100%. Picked up a read at the library, called ‘Not Buying It,’ basically a gal decides she’s not purchasing, not shopping/consuming anything other than food/fuel/bare essentials for a year. It’s an interesting journal and this entry flows down a similar thread. We do buy a lot of things that we don’t especially ‘need.’
You are my hero. <3 <3 <3
You figured it out and you are still young! Things don’t make you happy! Bless you!
Thank you so much for this article. It’s so true how we see other peoples homes and cars and clothes and wish we had what they had. For me, its hard not to feel lesser then my friends who have nice big homes and nice new cars. They then complain when they get a dent on their car from someone in a parking lot and will spend $500 to get that fixed. When $500 for us would be spent on bills and food. I hope I never lose sight of this again. God has blessed us with a great townhome, 2 cars that will get us all over the state in just a few hours and no labor to get there. They may not be shiny and they have dents and paint peeling off, but at least they run. Also this magical thing in our kitchen that we can load with dirty dishes and an hour later those same dishes are sparkling clean and disinfected. I love the part about how you are ashamed to admit you have a faucet in the bathrooms also. Now that I am comparing myself to people who are less fortunate I can also think about my glorious water heater and wonderful california king bed. I have nothing to gripe about. By the way I thought you would like this, I have a sign in my kitchen that says “Instant Human, just add coffee” 😉 Thank you for the reality check!
I love this! By the way, your kitchen looks 100x more modern than mine! This is a timely message for me. Blessings to you and your family
This put a humongous smile on my face today….you summed up exactly what I feel every single day. Gratitude is my attitude!
I have to agree with you. I have been in houses with new kitchens and I have lived in a lived in kitchen. You can tell by looking around which house has the most important things family, love and fits your needs and that is the one you have. People sometimes loss sight of the importance of family, and being happy with what they have. So I would have to say your kitchen is complete and wonderful.
Sorry for the second post but it reminds me of something Louis CK said about people complaining about slow WiFi on airplanes. Instead of realizing the miracle of air travel and the internet, they are complaining about the the refresh speed of their Facebook page!
And all the choir sang, ” AMEN ” !
We were finally able to re-do our kitchen, after our kids had all been raised and were out on their own. I was glad to be able to do it…to make choices I wanted and update everything. But the whole time, I kept saying, “Thank You God…I have always had a kitchen. I kept my boys fed and raised them in that old kitchen. We had some GREAT times in that kitchen!”
I never respond to blots but I had to this morning just to say thank you for reminding me that repeatedly looking around takes my focus off of the now. Plus the great comment about the coffee.
THANK YOU! You are beam of light shining through the fog of discontent.
YES and thank you! I know those suggesters were trying to help but if we all stopped looking at people/places/things/kids with a critical eye we’d all be happier.
Comparison is the thief of joy – Theodore Roosevelt
Thank you. I’m bookmarking this for when I start spending too much time on Pinterest dwelling up envy for what could be, and plotting “upgrades”.
I love your comment on the creation of fake monthly emergencies!! I’m going to walk around my home and be thankful. Thank you for sharing your wonderful insight!!
Thank you for this wonderful reminder.
This is probably the best post I’ve ever read! My daughter just returned from Uganda where she helped at a refugee settlement. She said, “I took more in my backpack for the trip than most of those people own.” We are so very blessed! Thank you for the reminder to put on perspectacles and see the blessings right in front of us. Sharing this post everywhere I can!
Thank you, thank you. This brought me to tears.
Totally agree with everything, except for the bread in the refrigerator.
You rock, and your kitchen is amazingly full of everything that matters!
Thank you so much! My husband and I bought a very small house last year and the kitchen is barely a “two butt” kitchen. I have spent the last year and a half trying to figure out how to “fix” it so that I will like it better. Thanks for sharing your perspectacles. By the way, I especially love your before and after pictures. Perfect! A big huge squeeze from this stranger! O
I love the CARPE KAIROS sign 🙂
First let me tell you I am 73. I have spent time with my own and other wives and mothers, a few generations now.
I have watched women struggle to keep up with every new trend in clothing, decorating and child rearing. Nothing wrong with looking nice and having a home that is functional and comfortable. It is when it becomes an obsession that the soul suffers ,and sweetie YOU have it all together, not to worry.
I loved sewing for my home, crafts and clothing. It made me smile and others around me happy so I did it. I loved an orderly home, so I tried to keep it so, failed at times because we did stop and”dance” .
My children are grown and have families of their own, they to struggle with the same things I did, how to use time .
My home is prettier than it ever was, because I have the time and money now. However I would trade it all to have my babies back and my home less beautiful. Children grow so quickly, even faster than trending kitchen styles.
Maggie, thank you for your beautiful perspective!
I am certainly not above thinking things need an update, like my house, clothes, etc., but I think you have so eloquently put something I have thought for a while. Why bother remodeling or getting a new purse if the one I have functions perfectly well? It seems ungrateful and wasteful. Some things are just fine as they are. God bless you.
This was perfect ! I totally needed this right now 🙂
Warm Diet Coke?!? *Shudder**** 😀
Thank you for the delightful reminder to count our many blessings.
I love love love this post. I rarely bother to comment on blogs but just had to tell you how much I love this post. Also, as a side note, there is nothing cosmetically wrong with your kitchen anyway. The way you decribed it I was expecting ugly but functional and who cares anyway then I saw the pictures and it looks bright and cheery and spacious. Love your make over though.
This is just about the most lovely, perfect thing I have ever read. I am so touched by your words. Thank you for helping me see my home in a different light.
Have no fear, your fine kitchen will soon have a wonderful makeover, with absolutely no money or effort. Any time now, perhaps soon, your “outdated” kitchen will become “retro” and just the thing.
LOVE LOVE LOVE your kitchen, LOVE your attitude of gratefulness even more. You posted a good message for all. Thank you for a wonderful post!
Thank you!! 100% agreed!
I love the part about dancing in the kitchen! This is simply a great article! Life is so much more than always buying new stuff. But I should point out that the schools are not free. They are very expensive and somebody pays for them. So So thank you taxpayers for the schools and teachers etc…
I absolutely LOVED this post 🙂 we downsized to a small townhome with a very small and slightly outdated kitchen. I have realized over the past year, we are blessed because we had this option when so many don’t, we live in a safe neighborhood and have a couple great neighbors. I am beyond blessed because of my awesome husband and amazing son. The house (or kitchen) isn’t what makes the family :).
Thank you for such a beautiful reminder of what really matters. Dance on!!
Thank you for this beautiful article. It is so nice to be reminded. I couldn’t agree more!
I afree 100%. Thank you for the reminder. We just bought a house which I love and dont feel the need to change much right away, just paint. My mother thinks we should gut everything now. I find myself telling her everthing old eventually becomes new again. Our home is functional and creative and we love it.
This post is exactly what I needed (how many times does someone say that to you?). As I learn more about what makes me happy, as I ignored those things for the better part of my 38 years on this Earth, I realize that beauty is one of them. I like to be surrounded by beautiful things. It makes me grateful, calm, and happy. My house is not always beautiful to me. My clothes definitely aren’t. But how much time and money should be spent on these things? Where is the balance? It reminds me of a quote I read recently, “You can never get enough of what you don’t need to make you happy” (Eric Hoffer). Your post today has given me more to think about. I’m going to walk around my house (with my cup of life-saving nectar of Gods) right now with my gratitude glasses on. Thank you.
Thank God for dirty dishes
they have a tale to tell.
Well others may go hungry
we’re eating very well.
With home, health and happiness
I shouldn’t want to fuss,
by the stack of evidence God’s been very good to us.
Thanks for your post. Great perspective.
Fantastic post! Are you familiar with the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves? Who knew that just breathing clean air in your kitchen was a blessing. I’d love your perspectacles on that kitchen makeover and how we could all contribute if we weren’t out shopping…..
For someone to offer to help update your kitchen is not generous. It’s rude and ignorant and shallow and just plain dumb. When I saw the photos of the clean, functioning, kitchen, I was even more dumbfounded that a kitchen like that would instigate people offering a “solution” to your “problem.” WOW.
I enjoy nice things as much as anyone. But, come on!!!