Love Your House
We’ve lived in the house we’re in now for about 10 years.
The paint on the wood around the garage doors is peeling. It all needs to be repainted.
The wooden columns by the front door are rotting around the bottom and I cringe every time I come home and see them. They need to be completely replaced.
All of the bedrooms still have the pool table-green carpet that, I can only assume, the previous owners got a great deal on. It’s got to go before we can even think about decorating nicely.
The screen door leading to the backyard is practically falling off its hinges. We dream of getting one of those fancy sliding “invisible” ones.
The railings around the deck by the pool have been eaten away by various animals. We’re saving up to have it them replaced with something prettier.
Most days when I look at the house all I see is what’s wrong and a million projects that I have neither the money nor the time for.
But you know what?
That house is where my family is.
It keeps my kids and my husband and our two guinea pigs dry and warm and safe.
Over in the corner of the living room by the window is where we my husband puts up our Christmas tree every year and the kids and I drink hot chocolate and decorate it.
The bathroom is where I gave my kids bubble baths when they were little, where my son has spent summers filling a thousand water balloons and where we’ve laughed in the mirror while putting on Halloween makeup every fall.
My daughter’s bedroom was the perfect dark and quiet space she needed to heal from a concussion she sustained while playing hockey.
And on the floor just outside the kitchen is where my husband and I cried and held our dog of 10 years as our vet put him to sleep.
Forts and sleepovers, laughter and tears, board games and Sunday naps – my house has held space for us to do all of those things.
I asked the people in my Facebook group the other day to tell me the first word that came to mind when I asked them to describe their bodies.
“Fat,” is what most of them said.
“Broken,” someone else typed. “Disgusting. Ugly. Bloated.”
It hurt my heart.
They only see what they want to change.
They see flabby arms, belly rolls and cellulite.
They don’t see the arms that squeeze their children when they’re hurt.
Or the feet that have carried them through cool forests, quiet museums and electric city streets.
Or the hands that have created beautiful art or music or food.
Or the belly where their children grew or that was filled with butterflies right before something amazing happened.
To judge a thing only by its outsides, the parts you want to change, the bits that bug you, is to disregard and diminish the immeasurable value, beauty and potential of that thing.
You are so much more, so much greater, so much more profound than the rolls on your belly.
Just like my house is so much more than its peeling paint.
Love your house.
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Hi Sara, I love this post about loving my house. I’m always up and down about seeing the negatives and all the work that needs to be done. Great perspective, thanks!
Beautifully written, thanks Sara.
Love this story Sara. When I think of my body (house ) I see all the scars from burns, I see the weight I have gained , lost and gained over the years , but I also see the strong woman that hides out in there also. And am grateful that I have my health, & that I have used my knarly hands to sew wedding dresses , make homemade bread & jam, cared for women labouring & soothed crying babies . Thank you for reminding me that it is the inside that counts external “flaws ” are just that flaws they are NOT who I am ! ❤️
Thank you, Sara, for sharing this very touching testimony. I think this is very true but we do forget the good things as we focus on the things that need changing.
This rings true with my life. Respecting my body is hard bUT the article encouraged me to look and find the positive. Thank you
Amen !!
Oh this made me cry! We’ve been here 33 wonderful years. We now enjoyed having our beautiful grandchildren in this home. I love it so much. My body has been here all this time too and I’ve never looked at it with the love and gratitude I do at the house. My family and friends have loved me unconditionally all these years. It’s really time for me to love me the way I do everything else.
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️😭😭😭. Crying my eyes out over this post. My house is also old, needs painting, organizing and full of too many projects for a lifetime. Have been hating on it for a while now. My “house” is also a work in progress that I’ve always seen as not good enough. Thanks for the different perspective. This group is the most supportive of any I’ve been part of and I love seeing all the brave, inspiring, loving posts on here. ❤️ and 🤗 to everyone reading this.
Lovely sentiment about loving your house. Its not just about four walls…its about the contents…family and memories ❤
Oh Sara this made me cry 😢
But at the same time it’s the most beautiful and meaningful thing I’ve ever read. So I can thank you from the bottom of my heart- I will read this often
Sara! This was beautiful brought tears to my eyes cuz its soo true. Thank you!
I love this post and I love my house. I am a perfectionist so I tend to focus too much on the imperfections in my life instead of the blessings. Sara, your words are powerful and I needed the reminder. In this season of Thanksgiving, I am committed to focusing on gratitude for my warm and safe refuge called home. I am looking forward to making new perfect memories with my imperfect family In this imperfect space.
Oh how I need to work on loving the body of this strong fierce mature woman. I just spent the last two days greeting my 1 week old fifth grandchild. The first of three being born this winter season! I spent a lot of time thinking about how to love myself more, so that I get to see all of them at least thro to adulthood. The lump in my throat has been there for 2 1/2 days now!
Gonna do more lovin’ on their gran’ma’s self.❤️🥰😘
Beautiful truths and beautifully written. Thank you.😇
This was very moving and sooooo very true. I get it but millions dont. It was very beautifully written Sara. Written directly from the heart. Sooooo nice 😊
Love this.
We are in the process of moving from off the farm (6 bedroom ) to a 2 bedroom and office with a huge counter space in the kitchen.
Starting fresh.
Hubby has lived in this house for 63 years. Three generations plus foster children, clean up and finding treasures ..
Tenants who have literally spread their wings a d not cleaning up, leaving cars, and stuff for us to deal with is stressful, but loving the home and loving the next home is heartfelt.
Beautiful message I needed this today.
Thank you 🏠❤🙂
Thank you for sharing this Sara. You really hit the nail on the head. This brought back so many wonderful memories, it made me shed a tear or two. My husband and I bought our forever home 6 years ago. Not the home where we raised our kids. Sometimes I feel empty in this home, and maybe because the memories did not happen here. I still have them all inside my heart which I will carry inside this body. No matter how much weight I gain or lose, my memories will always be there.