My house is a disaster area.
The burnables bin and
compost bowl are overflowing. The recyclables bin is
full, even though I took the recyclables just two days ago. There are bits of
paper and packaging all over the living room. I continue to find half empty
soda cans, water bottles, smudges of blue icing, and dirty napkins, around the
house, on the porch, out by the grill. And my children are still high on a
total sugar overdose.
I honestly couldn’t be happier.
We just had a gathering to celebrate the end of summer and for
my oldest son’s 8th birthday. While we missed some friends and
family who couldn’t make it for various reasons, it was delightful to spend
time with those who were able to come. I’ve even reached out to a few who
couldn’t make it to make plans for another get together sometime soon. There
were food and drink and laughter in abundance. I felt truly connected with
people I love for the first time in a long time.
When I first uninstalled Facebook and social media apps from
my phone, I feared that I would be disconnected, that I would miss out on
important milestones from my friends, family, and former colleagues. I felt a
tug to check my phone regularly despite not having the apps to click.
Since uninstalling them, I’ve come to realize something
critical to my well-being. When I had constant access and “connection” I felt
less connected with people and a near constant level of stress. There was a
nagging portion of my brain worrying about what people might be saying or debating,
arguments that might be occurring, important business that I might miss. This
took me away from my children, away from my husband and parents, and away from
the homestead, in ways I failed to recognize.
On Saturday during our party, I was able to enjoy myself and
enjoy our guests fully for the first time since we started throwing these
shindigs about seven years ago. I wasn’t worried about taking photos and videos
to post online. I wasn’t distracted pondering strange comments or interactions
with people I knew decades ago. I wasn’t overwhelmed by the happy stress of
hosting due to the underlying toxic stress from social media. The house may be
a mess, the party over, but I am deeply content and certain that I’m getting a
fresh start on a brave new take on life.
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| Groceries for the big day. I'm finding it easier at WM to use the self check-out with my reusable grocery bags. |
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| A friend commissioned a tres leches cake from the Guatemalan pasteleria down in N. Phila. |
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| Sometimes when you're turning 8, you just have to have a piñata shaped like a game controller. |
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| Nothing says happy birthday like beating on a shaped paper something until candy falls out. Yay for piñatas!!! |
Special thanks:
- to all our friends and family who made this gathering so amazing!
- to our Canton and Tracylandia family for making the trip down/over/up!
- to my pal A.N. for singing the piñata song, because I STILL don't know it!
- to my big brother, my husband, and T.E. for photos and videos - I was having too much fun to take pictures!
- a nuestro amigo A.H. por haber traido el pastel tan hermoso y delicioso!!!
