Have you ever been told or thought that decorating might be a frivolous and worthless pursuit among other far more important things? I couldn’t disagree more, and if you’ll let me, I’ll share why below. 

This post has been brewing in me for quite some time.   Actually, when I went to write it there was so much in my heart on this topic that the post was getting waaaay too long.

Basically, I could write all day on this.  Out of necessity, I will be breaking it into four different posts.

Recently, I was in two different conversations with people that I deeply respect in the blogging world. The topic of decorating came up, more specifically the frivolity of decorating.

They were arguing that nobody needs to decorate- it is not a need, it is a want, they said.  They weren’t attacking me, it was just an observation they were making.  But, the more the conversations continued, the more deflated I became.

Was it a waste of my time to teach decorating to my blog readers?  I started questioning everything I was doing with this blog, feeling like I had just hit a dead end.

I cried all the way home that night, but by morning God was challenging me, “What a minute, is this even true?  Is decorating/ creating beauty merely a want and therefore not important?”

I agree that it is a want, especially the specific pieces of decor, but might it also be a need on some level?  Might the act of decorating or creating beauty be a requirement for the human soul?

Hmmm, now I know that people have different interests and not everyone is going to care about decorating as much I or my readers do.

That being said, I am going to make a blanket statement and say that, yes, all human beings need a certain amount of beauty in their lives.

Then, there is the crowd that defines “beauty” as decorating and creating. That is were we come in.  There is something healing and calming in it for us.

A couple of weeks ago, I sent my email subscribers a simple email asking them what they are struggling with right now.  There was an alarming number of unsubscribes, but I don’t care. It is something I would like to do about every six months because it shows me how best to help my readers.

One of the answers to my question actually is responsible for triggering this post. She described a series of losses, specifically 12 different deaths in her circle of family and friends that she is grieving over right now.

Then, she wrote, “Sometimes I feel that moving ahead and updating decor or being concerned with it is like I’m moving on and I can’t seem to give myself permission to do something.“

What would you say to her?

It’s hard to say for sure with grief, because I myself am not ready to purge all the baby items I have from my miscarriage this summer.

And yet, decluttering and cleaning the house feels very soothing.

Focusing on creating a tiny bit of beauty each day is healing.  Even it is simply putting a tiny parsley sprig on each person’s soup at dinner or lighting a candle in the evening.

It is in these actions that I declare to the world and to myself that there is still order in the chaos.

God is still on the throne.

There is still beauty and hope and life worth living each day.

So, all that to say  . . .  when you are ready, dear reader,  . . . .

do not shy away from changing your home to make it more beautiful.

I think you will find a quiet comfort in it and might I dare say, your loved ones would want you to be comforted right now.

Related Posts:

Miscarriage and Holding Dearly

What Your Decorating Says About You

 

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