Sometimes This Is My Best
I sat down to write a blog post.
I was not sure what it was going to be about, so I looked up and my eye caught the mess in the corner. Mazy had just gone down for a nap, I put supper together for later, and sat down to write. When I saw the mess, I thought oh, I should quickly clean that up. So I put my computer down, got up, and then it hit me.
What is my “best”? I had recently seen a picture of the inside of someone’s home on social media. Ya know, those that pop up and make you think oh man, I have a long ways to go in life! As I looked at the immaculate home and how everything was so neat, clean, organized, and white as could be, I then looked at my mess.
I realized I did not cover supper, so I threw some aluminum foil on it, and tossed it in the fridge. Then I wondered “is this REALLY my best?” Should I pick up our house? Should I take care of the pile of recipes that keeps growing? Should I put away my stuff from MOPS? Should I fold the laundry that is in the dryer?
I can’t help but think of the words from Daniel Tiger – “Your Best Is The Best For You”
We often think of “best” as in immaculate, perfect, just right, and our tip top shape. But why do we see “best” as perfection and not as REALITY? Sometimes reality is our “best” and that is our normal. Yet we strive to be this person we are not. Now granted, I like to have things picked up, cleaned up, and organized. That’s just me. But as you will see, that is NOT always the case. Let me take you on a tour of our home. Sometimes my best, is this:
On a “normal” day for us, this is what our house looks like. Mazy likes to play “baby” so we get all the baby toys out. She decided to color on our tv (and missed the large coloring pad on the floor), while putting her beautiful fingerprints all over the screen as well. Toys are stacked high in their baskets, to the point of overflowing.
I suppose I could put a bunch of her toys in her room to make more living space for us, but our living room is her playroom. This is where she learns. Interacts. And this is where we can teach her too. Why take away, and have her go to another room, all for the sake of keeping things neat and tidy? We are parents of a toddler and that is our stage of life – so welcome to our life! Though the bristle block on the bottom of the foot doesn’t feel so great.
Diaper bag, purse, papers, a cookbook, and the water I need to drink, still sitting on the counter. It will get moved, one day! Oh, and the “sticky” as Mazy calls it, of “Go Pro” stuck to the counter.
I had done the dishes about 15 minutes prior, and there they sit, drip drying on the left. And after 15 minutes, those are all of the new dishes that we have accumulated. We do not have a dishwasher – well actually we do – it’s me! Those will get done eventually…
My basket of “randoms” seems to be growing, and oh, so does the pile of recipes I need to organize! Yes, I actually have made them, I just need to put them AWAY! And that’s a pipe cleaner sticking out of the box on the bottom. At least it made it in the box!
This is our most picked up room (usually – unless Mazy takes out all of her bath toys). The toilet paper is not on the holder b/c Mazy would have a hayday with it!
I show you these blurry pictures to show you that on a given day, this is what our house looks like. At the end of the day, Dan and I do pick up (usually). Sometimes this is my best. The time I sit down to do the things I enjoy doing, while the clutter can wait to be picked up. Sometimes my best is when I take time to make ME my best. And that is in taking time for me. The dishes will always have to be done, the laundry folded, etc. But when I take the time to do what I love to do too, makes ME, the best I can be!
Even if it means a messy house. And trust me, these pictures aren’t even close to what our house sometimes DOES look like – it can be much worse.
Take a breather. Realize that your best is YOUR reality. Not a magazine, picture-perfect house. Sometimes “this” is your best.
