I recently created this sign during my best friend’s 40th birthday party.
“If you want to bring happiness to the whole world, go home and love your family.”
I’m a quote junkie. Meaningful words nudge me. Going through a tough time? Embarking on a new adventure? Feeling ______? You can bet your bottom dollar I will toss you a famous quote… and the trajectory of your existence will be exponentially inspired. Something like that.
Anyway, I made this sign. I chose this quote. The best part? I carried the darn thing onto an airplane. Hello delightful flight attendant, I am [quite literally] going home to love my family, and according to this painted piece of wood, that love will bring merriment to you and this entire aircraft. The things I do for humankind! Mind helping me hoist ‘er into the overhead bin?
For the duration of that flight and for several days after, I found myself reflecting on Mother Teresa’s sentence. Is it really that simple, Mama T? Loving the people under my roof will transmit joy to all corners of the world? I decided to dig a little deeper by reading Mother Teresa’s 1979 Noble Peace Prize speech. Tucked inside her beautiful wisdom were these four words — “Love begins at home.”
Home. It’s truly where my heart is. I adore my family. I get to navigate life with a superman husband and raise our three ridiculously awesome children. It is my highest privilege; my dream come true.
But can I be candid for a sec? I am not always lovingly lovely. Instead of breathing in each sweet blessing, I find myself taking deep breaths and stressing. This season of my life is no walk in the park — stay-at-home momma, aka CEO of our household, aka crazy person, aka extrovert craving adult conversation, aka do I even remember how to talk to adults, aka I will practice with the grocery store cashier, aka no I won’t because my kid just slithered out of the shopping cart buckle and is pulling magazines off the rack, aka now I’ve gotta pay for that crumpled Entertainment Weekly which I’ll never have time to read, aka heaven help me. Six years into this gig you would think I have it down to a science. Nope. I am as flustered and impatient and exhausted as ever.
The other day I was kneeling on the kitchen floor. You see, our one-year-old is prone to launching her half-eaten plate from her high chair, causing food to SPLAT everywhere. As I was wiping up mac & cheese and squished blueberries (silently cursing people who get actual, enjoyable lunch breaks), I thought to myself — This? How is THIS bringing one single ounce of joyfulness to the universe? I love my children, but I do not love this. Real people are doing really important things right this very second, yet here I am, entrenched in this messy mundane.
You guys, I sooooo want a Noble Prize-worthy purpose. I studied social work in college, destined to change the world. Instead I am changing diapers, changing over the laundry, and changing our kids’ snack options because this week they have decided to despise granola bars. Jeeeeeeez. I am beginning to think I should be changing my gloomy attitude while I’m at it. Okay Mother Teresa, hit me with another one…
“Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.”
Anybody else noticing a common theme here? I am humbly hearing it loud and clear. L-O-V-E. Love in the big stuff, love in the boring stuff, love in the medium-sized stuff, love in the hard stuff, love in all the stuff. The Bible says it best — “Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” (1 Corinthians 13)
We cannot go wrong when we are loving others, especially the precious souls placed right in front of us.
One of these days, in the midst of our chaos, I will find the perfect spot to hang my wooden sign. Probably next to a set of sticky fingerprints on the wall; definitely next to treasured family photographs. And as the sign is nailed into place… I pray that love fills the room, happiness fills the world, and adult conversation fills my next trip to the grocery store.