There was a time, many years ago, when home was a quiet place of seclusion. It was a dream to have one's own home and to rest and be refreshed in that special place for family. In Charles Dickens' "Great Expectations" there is a character in the story, who is firm and professional at work, but leaves his "heart at home." He does not talk about his home or his garden to co-workers. His personal life is left at the gate of his own estate, when he takes that long walk into the city each morning. Those at work, or out in the world, do not know about his happy home. It is a place of peace and gentleness.
Home used to be a little world of privacy and rest.
Today, the generation coming up has been exposed to reality programming, constant updates from friends and family about every aspect of their daily life in social media, and are free with pictures, stories, and anecdotes about what goes on in their own life. They not only view all of this, they contribute to it. There is no peace. There is no quiet. There is no time to recover from a tiring world that keeps us all on edge and "riled up."
Little ones, before they went to bed at night, had a gentle routine to get them ready for quiet and rest. They would have a bath and story. In the twilight hours, as the stars shone down through the windows, these little ones would say their prayers and get tucked into bed. They could fall asleep content and comfortable. No one was allowed to "rile" them up or get them overstimulated before bed. Bedtime was when the day had been wound down and all was quiet and well. This is just what home should be like for all of us. This is what a quiet little world used to be like when a weary soul went home to rest from his vocation in the "city." Home was like the "country;" It was that quiet place where one could "get away from it all."
Some live in apartments, mobile homes, cottages, or great mansions. But once the door of that royal home is closed; (for all homes can be like places where royalty resides) it should be a private place where paparazzi is not welcome; Even if that paparazzi are the residents of one's own home, releasing stories and photos that should be kept for their own family's happiness. We must try to learn from royal families and those in the public eye, that family deserves a private life. This helps bring peace and security.
Home should be a quiet, happy world where one can truly rest and recover from a loud and stressful world.
Blessings
Mrs. White
From the Archives:
Mother's Sweet Faith in Poverty - All of God's Children Have Shoes.
For the Happy Family - Lingering by the Hearth.
The Wisdom of Economy in the Kitchen - Basic Cookery.
Find Home-keeping Inspiration, in Mrs.White's book - For The Love of Christian Homemaking. Paperback, 274 pages.
An Invitation - Subscribe to The Legacy of Home and have it delivered directly to your email.
10 comments:
I breathed a big sigh of relief to read your post. You have such a way of writing that is powerful. I am a young (20 something) mother to one beautiful daughter and I try to ensure her evenings are as you've described. It is how I grew up too as a little girl. Have a nice weekend.
How very very true. I always look forward to getting home when we've had to go out on errands. Hubby has a habit of always saying--"There, I locked the world out" as he shuts the door. It's an immense feeling of relief and peace.
Lovely! So nice to see you Mrs. White! I sure miss you. I pray all is well with you. Love anita
So beautifully written...I didn't grow up like this...the TV was blaring all the time, and we watched the news at dinnertime every single night on a little black and white TV that was the hub of the kitchen. Talk about indigestion! :( And this was when the news was "only" on 3 times a day and there was no 24 hour news or internet!
I have struggled with anxiety all my life. Many years ago, I gave up the newspaper and the computer news...so much of that is not stuff we need to know anyway. If something major happens that I need to know, my husband tells me. I am so glad we do not have a TV.
I have always felt like an oddball because I am not interested in social media....I don't have room in my head for all the trivialities of what's going in other's lives (no offense to those who do use FB and the like...I myself just can't handle it) nor do I want everyone to know all the details of our life.
I have tried to preserve this "refuge" atmosphere for my children, and I know they appreciate it.
Loved this-Glad to hear from you again. Trust all is well. We live in a log cabin in the woods and when hubby and I get home he always says (since it is freezing out) "Well, lets burrow down in our Hobbit Hole" :)
Becky
I'm glad to see you're writing. I love the idea that the home is a world away from "the world". Thank you for sharing! Blessings to you.
I wanted to add this because I've been thinking about it all morning.
This is the definition of the biological term homeostasis:(from Greek: ὅμοιος, "hómoios", "similar", and στάσις, stásis, "standing still") — is the property of a system in which variables are regulated so that internal conditions remain stable and relatively constant, while external conditions change.
Homestasis is absolutely critical for our body's proper functioning...how much more for our soul?
Isn't it beautiful that the word starts with "HOME"?
You have such a peaceful spirit. I have started a blog, and I am very careful not to put pictures of my family or any personal details about them in it. They deserve to have their privacy protected, I agree.
I am always telling my children that our home is our sanctuary from the world. I want to keep the door closed and the world out.
So good to hear from you again, Mrs.White.
Linda
beautiful!
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