Imposing Order

Earlier today I posted a new status to my Facebook profile. "Terri is imposing order on another section of the house." Sounded good, but got me thinking all day about the concept of imposing order.

I don't generally consider myself to be an orderly person. I am not a neat-freak, not good at keeping things straightened. It is a struggle to keep the house neat and tidy, my car not looking like I live in it, and important papers somewhere I can find them. However, I do enjoy that brief moment when the house is orderly, the car looks like I just bought it, and I triumphantly place my hands on paperwork the moment I need it.

Now, I could blame my ongoing struggle on my son (who is five and loves clutter and chaos), or the three cats (they do contribute a great deal of dust bunnies), or the life that happens every day in and around our home. This would not be fair. to be fair, they all contribute to the disorder, but I don't generally raise a fuss when Connor is deep into his busy world of toys and "stuff" and I wouldn't give away my cats or close my door to those I love to make my house more orderly. If closing myself off is the price for order, I'll take a little chaos for the joy it brings in my life.

All this having been said, it should be noted that in January of this year we had a major household event that has caused a constant state of chaos and disorder in our home. We had a hose bib freeze and break, which flooded our ground floor, drained to our basement and has necessitated many months of insurance appraisals, negotiations, contractor bids, sorting and storing, trashing, and cleaning. The month of October found all our ground floor belongings stuffed in one room while repairs finally happened. To say the house has been in disorder is an understatement.

So now we try to choose a section of the house at a time, one room, one area a day in which we seek to restore order and serenity to our lives. It isn't always easy, but always worth the effort. To look up and see things back where they belong, the walls all one color (don't ask), the wood floors glowing with fresh finish.... it is restorative.

This brings me to the new blog. Is this my attempt to impose a little order in my disorderly mind? I have thoughts running around all the time, a dialog, a monologue, a commentary that never quiets. Clearly I have things to say. Instead of wading daily through the clutter of my thoughts will it restore me to place them down and see them glowing neatly on the computer screen? If it blows the cobwebs out of the corners and gives my mind some space and peace it can only be a good thing I think.

Here I go, trying to impose order on another section of my life. The trick is to remember that some clutter and chaos are fine, just signs of life lived well.