Irons in the fire.

Have you ever seen the movie Awakenings? Sometimes I think about Leonard's awakening to life and the moments of pure appreciation of simple wonders. Always inspiring.

I feel like lately I've been having my own awakening, of sorts. I haven't quite made sense of all I've felt, but I am sure of the source of all my sudden realizations. They are these;
1. Our society today has become so very isolationist in affairs of household and family. In my mind I picture a community of women washing their clothing in a lake together, working hard and laughing, and I wish I could paint myself into that picture. How many times has a woman been over at your house to eat a meal? And in those times, how many times has she offered to help with the dishes? And out of those offers, how many have you taken?
Why do we insist on being alone, as mothers and women? Why do we feel afraid to call someone when the loneliness engulfs us? I am at my home doing my mountain of dishes while my kids watch Dora the Explorer. You are at your home doing your mountain of dishes while your kids watch Sesame Street. How about you come over to my house and we'll do my dishes together, in half the time, while our kids turn off the shows and play? Then tomorrow we'll do your dishes together.
I would submit that house-wives and young mothers are meant to work together in communities of friendships, to help one-another be our bests. We have got to stop robotically refusing to take each other's hands. Yes, we have play-dates to "escape" our lonely duties. But perhaps if we make our duties less lonely, we will feel less inclined to escape them.

I'll come over and we'll learn how to can peaches while our kids make a total mess of the house. And then I'll help you clean, but the trick is, you can't be embarrassed or awkward about having me scrub your floors along side you, ok?

Simple. Profoundly different.
2. Recently I had a personal experience of sorrow and hurt. I thought that a relationship I hold dear would be lost forever in untrust. As I called upon the Lord for comfort, I felt some miraculous things that I cannot begin to fully explain. The best way to describe it is an outpouring of love and trust coming from a never ending supply, through me, and extended to the hurt relationship. I have never felt anything like it.

I realized this; that the adversary doesn't care one bit if we profess Jesus Christ, just as so-long as we do not understand how to USE His everlasting atonement to empower ourselves and the people around us. We can proclaim ourselves Christians all we want but until we tap into the power that comes from Christ; peace, trust, love, forgiveness (and so much more), we would be just as well telling everybody our standpoint on car manufacturers.
I am still trying to wrap my brain around these two concepts. I guess to you, they may or may not seem simple and logical, based on your experiences and beliefs. For me, this is an awakening for my soul to things that, for whatever reason, have been beyond my grasp.

What, you ask, are the implications of these discoveries? (Well, maybe you didn't ask, but I am going to tell you anyway.)
1. I am starting a support group in my home called "Home-bodies anonymous." It will be a safe, reliable place for women to get out of their house any time they feel themselves slipping into despair. A place where an older, lonely sister, with no children at home can come and knit to the noise of my children playing. Where a knock on the door will always be greeted by a friendly smile. Not that I ever answered my door with a scowl, but I'm making it official policy.

2. I am gearing up to love with a greater love than I ever imagined possible. I'm going to achieve this goal by simply letting the power of the atonement flow into me, through personal study and prayer, and out of me in acts of unselfish charity.

I hope that each of you find those exciting bits of truth that make you feel awakened into a deeper appreciation for the life you lead.

Thanks for indulging me in my enthusiasm.

With love,
Megan

Comments

Jdaniels said…
Thanks for those thoughts ...

I agree completely - we're too pressured to appear to have everything together ... our houses can't be messy with company coming ... we can't ever have a meal not turn out right ... we can't ever have a day to just be a slob if we feel like it, lol!

The houses I've been most comfortable visiting are those rare places where the house wasn't spotless, or the lady of the house asked could I please get the drinks for the table.

You're so right. We should focus less on being perfect and more on the relationships around us.
Margaret said…
I loved this:) You're always so inspiring!

I just started a playgroup with a few other women and we seriously meet everyday. its nice having the community and support.
Jenny Bay said…
Wonderful post. I just love reading your blog, thank you so much for everything! You are so right, as mothers and housewives we need to help each other out and buoy each other up, because it IS hard sometimes, and it CAN be depressing at times. I think just talking to other mothers and realizing that we are not alone helps more than anything.

Thanks again, your blog is so great! If I lived near you we could be friends and I would totally come over and help with your dishes. :)
Ali said…
I rarely post a comment anywhere, but I always make sure to post when something has touched my heartstrings as much as this post has. Thank you! I so long for a womanly community like the one in your head, especially now that I've lived in my current city for a year without a local "kindred spirit" to call my own. This motherhood gig and homemaker thing should not be a lonely task. I really feel like we're missing the point of Relief Society, ya know?

I live your Home-bodies Anonymous. Love it!
Brieanna said…
You look soooooo beautiful in red, so beautiful period, really. I love the idea of the women washing clothes in the lake. It's so funny that you posted this because last week I grabbed this pamphlet for North Salem/Keizer mom's club and thought, wow! Megan and I should do this together. Here is the website, check it out, maybe we could go to a meeting together and see if its something either of us is interested in. www.northsalemkeizermomsclub.webs.com

Learning to let go and forgive is the most empowering lesson. I believe this is true humility. When we fully embrace our own humanity and the humanity of others, we are able to see the small in the infinite, the big picture in the small nuances of life. I love awakenings and am so excited to hear more about yours and I am so excited for all the learning and growing you are doing. I love life's ability to allow us to grow as individuals. I think it's what life is all about.

I'm rambling but odd as this sounds, I kind of enjoy the solo housework. It makes me feel organized, but I'm more than happy to come over and help with your housework.
Rach said…
So excited.

also, you are smoke'n in the last picture!
Great post! I'm not sure why we isolate ourselves. I've found myself thinking,"I should call her. I have nothing planned but we could both just sit together." But I never do! Maybe I will now!
I love your red tights :)
Aimee said…
Well said! You are an inspiration to mothers everywhere! Miss you!
Jessica said…
I love this - thanks for getting deep today!
jdavissquared said…
Great post. You are wise beyond your years!
TheUnSoccerMom said…
wow... just simply, wow....
Christy said…
What a great message you just shared! It is SO true, that sometimes as a mom you feel totally alone (and for some reason justify it to yourself that it SHOULD be that way... that suffering in silence is just... your job!) We do need an awakening! After all, it takes a village, right?!
Keep on preachin' it, sister! I love it!
Megan, I wish that there were more people in the world like you. You are an amazing woman! Thanks for your great message!
Anonymous said…
You are amazing and incredibly encouraging! You were relevant to me (in this period of my life) especially through your nr 2. I do believe the same as you wrote there, I think that we can experience great love and that we can surpass our limited selves through Christ.I think that this is the most important thing in life, this is our every day challenge, a challenge that we sometimes forget. Thank you for remembering it to me.
Amy Snell said…
Thanks for sharing such a great message...I truly needed this today...I appreciate your words more then I can say!! I wish there was more people like you in the world today...and as usual I heart seeing such great pics of the boys...do they come any cuter :)
Cherish said…
What a wonderful post!
Vashti said…
My girlfriend and I do something like this. Hang out one of our houses and split the load, or if the husbands are working late we do dinner and bath time together so that way when I/she goes home we just have to throw the kids in the beds! It is so perfect and relaxed, one of us gets out of the house and the others house is clean by the time everyone leaves. We joke that we are sister wives because it feels like we are raising our children communally, but we both totally love it!
Unknown said…
Megan, my good friend (who so kindly let me come over today and do my laundry due to a remodel and my washer and dryer are disconnected) Amy Snell, read me this post while I was at her house. It was like you read my heart. I think this post is wonderfully written. I am going to work towards being this friend and listen to that still small voice a little closer. I get urgings (if that's a word) a lot but am scared to follow through. You are my hero. Thank you.
Teresa said…
Loved this post. I spend a good deal of nearly every day, fantasizing about living on the same street as my girlfriend in Utah, or my daughter in Medford, or my sister in Indiana. I dream about "popping in" for a visit, going for walks, playing games together, and having someone I trust to be able to cry to when I need someone to mourn with me. I don't know why we don't come together more often as women in our own communities. I wish we did. I wish I did. You are inspiring, Megan. I'd better find out where you live, so that I can show up on your doorstep one of these days. Wish you were my VT... I've been here since December and haven't had a visit yet.
Denise said…
I find your blog so refreshing, and love to visit! I started several live lists when I discovered it last month.

I feel the same way about how different our culture is from the one I grew up in...so thankful for the neighbor families that took me in when my mom was working. Community! We have these friendships, but not in our own neighborhood. What a difference that would make!

Some of my best memories are when my best friend and I had our husbands working late...we got together and fed them dinner together. She and I ate cookie dough for our dinner ;) I find that in my friendships we do this quite a bit more in the summer time...when everyone has a more flexible schedule. I love it!!

Thanks for sharing, and I do enjoy our pictures and inspiration on your blog. As I said before...so REFRESHING!! Have a great holiday weekend!
Rebecca Gibbs said…
This post was very inspiring. Thank you so much for sharing!
Megan Marie said…
I need to reread my posts to rediscover these things. There is a reason we should be keeping records of our lives.

AND My kids look weird with short hair.
Lisa said…
You are so inspiring! We have never met, but I came upon your blog and I feel a kinship with your spirit. I would love to be in that club! I don't know where you live, but if it were near me I would be there!