Sunday, September 16, 2007

It's not just me

I never thought reading blogs would help me feel normal but that is what happened. I have struggled my entire life with terminal messiness. Laundry (usually clean) spills out of baskets, books and newspapers pile up everywhere, dishes may get done on a flexible schedule and the general clutter overwhelms. I've tried justifying it by saying we are so busy or we are all slobs and collectors but have felt nothing but inadequate. To compound my feelings of inadequacy I am now surrounded in my work life with women who have "perfect" homes. They live in a world where professional decorators color coordinate and place every piece and a cleaning service whisks away anything out of place. I live in fear that one of them might have to pick something up at my house and thereby discover my true nature.

Then this weekend I read several blogs from a group of women like me - women who's lives are not focused the perfect home but the struggle to balance work, family, household and creativity. I AM NOT ABNORMAL - what a freeing thought. Might it be that my secret shame is really the sign of a life well lived? I will do my best not to judge myself by the standards of others (although some days I'm better at that than others). That's not a bad way to start a new week.

Thanks to all who share yours lives and your wisdom with the rest of us.

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