sighing. in words.
Completing errands this afternoon,
I drove by tidy homes
with twinkling lights
and coordinating bows.
Swept front steps and well-groomed lawns.
Cars parked in order from small to large and color coordinated with the shutters.
And I thought of our own sloppy yard.
Two broken logs on our fence.
The shanty town the kids are constructing in our front field with sticks and cardboard and blankets and apparently a living room pillow that has been MIA for a week now.
Mushy leaf piles.
A hammock with its cottony stuffing protruding, evidence of Magnus’ last jail break.
My yard seems
messier
somehow
than everyone else
I know
and
everyone else
I don’t know.
And some days
my life seems
messier
than everyone else
I know
and
everyone else
I don’t know.
I look around
(externally, internally)
and I see
no tidy bows.
All loose ends.
17 Comments
Jesse Wickstrum
Your family brings light, joy, love, and happiness to the world in so many ways. Those ends are not loose, the infinite connections they make are just beyond our understanding. You are an inspiration and your family is an example and guide to happiness.
LaceyKeigley
Well, I'm pretty sure we don't deserve that level of a compliment – but thank you just the same.
I do love the idea that the connections the loose ends make are beyond our understanding.
That's full of hope and beauty.
Shivayamama
Oh my, I love these questions, and I can relate to SO many of them :). Thanks for making me smile today.
Amanda
Im smiling as I read this because I just came out of my dirty kitchen, which I felt sticky ooh as I walked across the floor, because you know thats how it is when juice hits the floor and you think you've cleaned it and you havent and then you open the fridge and you smell "things" in the fridge of which your not really sure what smelly odors they are…..I could really go on and on, so yes, it's nice to know…Im not alone too.
LaceyKeigley
I am all too familiar about fridge odors.
The only good thing about having an empty fridge because I need to visit the grocery store is that it smells less weird.
David T. Robbins
Love your writing style! Reminds me a bit of Bukowski's poetry (minus the terrible things he said).
And your house sounds amazing! I'll pay rent in the shanty town…
LaceyKeigley
Wow.
A David T. Robbins comment on MY blog.
Pretty exciting day for me.
I've been wanting to comment all day on your post with Kevin's interview, but pithy comments are not my strength so I remained silent.
(Silent is not really my strength either, however.)
Melissa
I think the truth of the issue isn't that you're the one with loose ends. The truth is… the rest of us don't always have the guts to take of the mask and reveal our mess. And that's why each of us feels that our messy lives are so much worse than everyone else, because we're hiding behind a mask of perfection.
LaceyKeigley
That'll preach, Melissa.
sarah dykens
loose ends=showing character
LaceyKeigley
Thanks Sarah.
I guess I am loaded with character now – eh?
Ellen S.
You are so not alone!
LaceyKeigley
Thank you.
Alicia The Snowflake
Beautiful post. My life seems to be full of loose ends. Tonight there are dishes in the sink, laundry in the washing machine and cat hair on the sofa. I don't think I'll ever get those loose ends tied up. Thanks for reminding me I'm not the only one.
LaceyKeigley
We are definitely not the only ones, I guess.
Which is encouraging, sort of!
alece
my loose end loves your loose end.
wait… wha?!
LaceyKeigley
I told you last night, but I'll tell you again — this made me laugh.
Inappropriately, loudly, late at night kind of laughing.
The best kind – you know.