Last week, I was up late and reading through some of the posts on the Mothering Magazine message boards. I came across a thread asking readers what they thought of the March edition of the magazine. There were many positive comments about this article and that one. But then toward the end, I came across a post from a woman who said she liked the "crafty mama" article, but was saddened because the magazine had shown those of us who appeared in the article to be too perfect - our craft projects so neatly photographed, our children quietly coloring or sewing and our craft rooms and kitchens staged with just enough disheveledness that they looked lived in.
My heart sinks at the thought that someone would hold up their life in comparison to mine.
Believe me, I have messes too. If you really want to see what my craft room looks like, here you go. Take a gander.
But, here's the thing.
Life is messy...sometimes, its really messy. There is no getting around that fact. No one escapes it.
However, I've learned a few things along the way. Through writting and learning to take photographs, I've learned that for me, finding the beauty in life is all in how you frame it. It's what you choose to focus on...whether it be your camera or your heart.
And I make a conscious choice to focus on the simple, the beautiful and the positive in my life.
So, when the boys are spinning around the kitchen while Im making dinner and Im doing my best not to post an advertisement on SELLYOUKIDSTOTHEGYPSIES.COM, I chose to stop. Breath. Breath again if need be. And think about what this scene might look like if it were framed just right.