Chaos to Order
One of my favorite children’s book authors is Amy Krouse Rosenthal. She has this collection of witty, hilarious, and very ironic books that have me rolling with laughter when reading them to my kids when they were little. One book in particular, Little Oink, is about a pig who loves to be clean and orderly. His pig parents reprimand him for not making enough messes, not leaving enough toys out, etc. For example, they won’t let him go out and play with his friends until his room is “a total pigsty”. Every page is a relatable scenario with parents and kids, but as its complete opposite.
What struck me the most about this book is that it’s written with the assumption that cleanliness and orderliness are the default and natural way of things. That somehow it takes purposeful intention to make messes, and then perhaps the house naturally restores itself to a state of cleanliness. (Wouldn’t that be a dream!). Of course we all recognize the irony in this: chaos and deterioration is what happens in all areas, without consistent effort and maintenance on our part. Our yards become overrun with weeds, pests and unwanted growth. Our houses become cluttered, dusty and dirty. Our bodies sag with atrophied muscles without proper exercise, and the list goes on and on. I can’t think of much that stays perfectly stagnant; it’s either going in a forward direction of growth and progress, or going backward—digressing and deteriorating.
We understand this so easily when it comes to maintaining our homes, cars, businesses, and physical health. I want us to translate that into our relationships and our mental health as well. Even with all that competes for our time and attention in our busy lives, building strong relationships and stable mental health should be among our top priorities. They affect so many other areas of our lives! So let this be an invitation to you. Stop and take inventory of where you’re at in your closest relationships. Who have you been neglecting lately (even if that person is yourself)? What areas are you slacking on and could channel a little more energy and effort into? Can you put your phone down and look into your partner’s eyes when they’re talking to you? Could you go outside and play—really play—with your kids? Can you call a parent, grandparent, or distant sibling just to see how they’re doing? These relationships will not be built of their own accord. We must put in the work.
