Have you ever noticed that when you fix up one area of your home, the surrounding areas suddenly look really shabby?
We got new front doors a few weeks ago … and then everything on the porch looked shabby.
Even the doorbell.
I never noticed before how dirty and paint-splattered the doorbell was.
Now it really stuck out against the sleek black doors.
Does a shabby paint-splattered doorbell matter? In a world full of wars and violence and inequality … and hunger and disease and all kinds of other bad things … does my little doorbell really matter?
I was wondering that too when I sat down to write this post the first time. And the second and third time. I felt stuck. Honestly, it does seem a bit frivolous to me to be writing about something as insignificant as a doorbell when there are so many more important things in the world to be concerned about.
But here’s the thing …
This is my home. My teeny-tiny speck on this big planet. And the porch is the entryway to my home, the threshold that separates my family’s sacred space from the rest of the sometimes-scary world.
Yes. It matters.
Your sacred space matters too!
It matters when you come home from a winning Little League game where you made an amazing catch and got to wear the team’s Victory Chain.
And a cheerful, welcoming space is there to greet you.
It certainly matters when your team loses and you are mad about striking out in the last inning.
And a cheerful, welcoming space is there to greet you.
It matters for our kids. And it matters for us grown-ups too.
I’m starting to understand that my home is a reflection of my life.
How I tend to both of them matters.
My porch felt neglected and shabby. The paint-splattered doorbell, the mismatched doorknobs, the faded wreathes, the Halloween welcome mat in April. Here’s a “before” shot …
But I was so used to this space being that way, I didn’t even notice anymore let alone make any effort to make it nicer.
What other areas of my life am I neglecting that I don’t even notice anymore? And how can I tend to those areas better?
A Cheerful Welcoming Space
I spent last week sprucing up the porch. Sweeping, planting begonias, painting the ceiling black, new welcome mats. It didn’t take a lot of time and it didn’t cost a lot of money, but it made a big difference.
Yes, it looks better. But more importantly to me, it made a difference in how I feel whenever I pull into the driveway. It feels good to be home.
In a world full of all kinds of bad things, it’s nice to have a cheerful, welcoming space here to greet me.
Love,
Courtney
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2 responses to “A Cheerful Welcoming Space”
I am very inspired with your writings on your blog:). After I read about cosmic Art I want to take your online class when you start them. I need to overcome procrastination!!!
Thank you Jane Ann! Your kind words just made my day. 🙂 I need to overcome procrastination too (again!)! and get started on my online classes, but that’s not going to happen until after the holidays. It’s at the top of my 2024 To-Do List. –Courtney