I just KNEW this was the answer. The answer to eliminating my deficiencies. I would finally be able to craft like Alecia. I would finally be able to decorate my house like Mary. I would finally be able to make meals like Jill. I would finally be able to bake like Dawn. I would finally be able to be as organized as Misty. I would finally be able to up-cycle everything I ever used and single-handed-ly save the world from overpopulated land fills.
Stop the insanity!!
3900+ pins later..... I've created Pinterest Preposterous-ness!!! Leave it to me to take Pinterest to extremes.
Don't get me wrong- I think it is a great concept for its' original intention; merely a virtual 'pin board' for some favorite ideas you'd like to try. It is not, however, the answer for folks like me that me that are desperately seeking a strategy to measure up to the people they admire most around them.
Nobody put me on that hook. No one ever told me I'm a bad mom or wife because I'm not crafty enough, or not organized enough, or because I'm not a decorating pro, or because I'm not a frequent baker.
I put me on that hook. I imposed all of those expectations on myself. Now, I'm un-imposing them.
I had an amazing childhood, in an amazing family, with amazing parents. All that amazing-ness led to lots of amazing memories. Thinking of those memories.... it wasn't an abundance of crafting projects.... it wasn't as a result of the ultimate organization, decorating or baking plans.....
You know what I remember?
My dad showed up to be the room mother once- he brought root beer barrels as the treat. There wasn't a first grader alive that liked root beer barrels- but I didn't care. My dad showed up.
My mom cooked dinner every night. We ate dinner together almost every night...at the kitchen table. The memories at that table are filled with crazy laughter, silly sibling rivalry and family 'pow-wows.'
Our family wasn't perfect, by any stretch of the imagination, but we were perfectly imperfect. All without Pinterest.
So...... it begs the question? What will my babies remember? What do I want them to remember?
Do I want them to remember how committed I was to organizing our house? Or do I want them to remember the fun we had at the birthday parties?
Do I want them to remember the countless hours that I spent planning meals? Or do I want them to remember the field trips that we went on together?
Do I want them to remember that playing was restricted to areas that wouldn't disrupt our Feng Shui? Or do I want them to remember playing Marble Works in the middle of the living room?
So.... I begin to find the harmony between the things I would like to add to my 'memory building repertoire' ......and the things I just need to reconcile as 'not my gifts.'
I am not giving up Pinterest for Lent. I will still rack up the 'pins' - of this, I'm sure. I really love to see the ideas.... I LOVE it!
but.......
No more trying to measure up....only celebrating the memories made...... and celebrating the people that join us in those memories....and celebrating the growth we find in disappointments.......and celebrating the freedom of letting myself live in my own gifts.
Put that in your preposterous pinterest pipe and smoke it :)
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