Being 40 years old and not having a parent left on this earth makes me realize, life goes way too fast. If we don’t make it a priority to stop and slow down and really build relationships with those we love, we will miss our chance to really make a difference in their lives.
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But how? How do I slow down when there are... dishes to do? Laundry piling up? Dust settling? Bathrooms getting dirtied? Emails to answer? Social media accounts to update? Clutter to sort through? closets to organize? Books to mark? A school year to plan? Work to catch up on? A lawn to mow? A garden to weed? Dinner to make? on and on the list goes.
I think this quote that I found in the book Unstuff by Hayley and Michael DiMarco sums up perfectly my thoughts on how to make time to slow down when there is so much to be done.
Yes it is true “Letting things slide isn’t the end of the word” in fact it is quite the opposite letting things slide is the beginning of life because it gives us time to slow down, and life is lived best when we slow down.
Let the dishes remain untouched tonight and go take a walk with your hubby.
Let the laundry remain unfolded and actually cuddle with the children while you watch that movie with them.
Let the To Do list remain with a few things left uncrossed and go take the children to the park for the afternoon.
And while doing each of these things above take a moment to pause,reflect and soak up the beauty of spending simple moments with those you love.
Children grow up in a blink of an eye. A marriage grows cold in a heart beat. Yet dishes will still be dirty if we let them wait, clothes will still be unfolded in a few hours and the To Do list isn’t going anywhere.
Chances are too that when you take time out to really focus on those you love, they will be so thankful they won’t mind helping with those chores you let slide while you were spending time with them.
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I love this times about a thousand. Yes, letting things slide is NOT the end of the world. And so many times we lose sight of the good stuff, the stuff waiting for us right there in front of us, because our eyes are fixed on these silly things that are not the end all and be all.
Here’s to leaving the dishes in the sink!
Agreed! Although now that my kids are older they tend to do the dishes, so for me it is here’s to loads of laundry left dirty!
After I had a breakdown in the winter of 2012, I realized something had to change. It wasn’t just me stressing about housework, it was ignoring a real condition I had and the day to day stresses were literally making me sick. I had to learn the hard way to ignore those daily tasks and spend more time with my family, but I hope people take heed to your words. Sacrificing that time with your family is not worth those dirty dishes, laundry, made from scratch meals, etc. Great advice!
Yes I agree, I suffer from anemia now and again and I have learned I have to manage my energy just like I do my time. I choose to not attack the dust growing under the couch and on the shelves so that I have the energy to go for a walk with my husband when he gets home. Those types of decisions make all the difference in my relationships.