My family members who read this will recognize the verse posted here.  It hung in our kitchen for years, and my Mother would challenge anyone who would dare suggest that perhaps cleaning was more important than conversing.

I grew up in a very messy household.  Whenever someone apologizes to me for the mess in their house or office I let them know, I am right at home in a mess.

It is not that my Mother didn’t care — she did.  In spite of the message in the verse, she was always embarrassed if company arrived unannounced and saw the house at its worst. 

It’s just that when it came to cleaning house there were forces in her own nature working against her.

One force was that she could not resist the pull of a good book.  Most mornings, when the kids were gone off to school and she had a moment to herself… well, if she was in the middle of a great read any intention to do housework was lost.

Another force against her was if there was anything else to do that was more pleasurable than housework, she did it.  If it was a fine day, she went outside.  If a friend asked her to lunch, she went. 

She kept a diary throughout her youth, and again after the kids were gone. (No empty nest syndrome for her!)  In her diary she complained bitterly about friends who would not throw off housework for a spontaneous outing. 

I am sure that in her final moments she had no regrets about not finishing the ironing on a sunny day.

So, in praise of messy housekeepers everywhere, or to those of us who postpone laundry in order to read, write or enjoy the sunshine, let’s all raise a toast.

And, as food for thought, we probably all have forces in our own natures that work against us, whether it results in a messy house, or something else.  I think my Mother would recommend we all just go with the flow of our own natures.

If your nature suggests otherwise, Happy Spring Cleaning.

Admittedly, my own housework has occasionally suffered while I painted my instalments.  This week’s has been posted at  Contentment is for Cows.

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Enjoy!