The comforts of home

Home, this simple four letter word brings different images to mind for different people. Home can be described as a special place, a town or a single house filled with those things that trigger pleasant memories of the past, or even a group of people who have traditions in common. For me it is all three. Home is Oregon, the house I have called home for nearly 40 years, the family that I love, and too many memories to wrap my mind around.

We are all most comfortable around familiar people, places, and things. The welcoming front door, a crackling fire on the hearth, background chatter of friends and loved ones, a good cup of coffee and a cushy old chair. All these evoke thoughts of what we call home.

The preparation for a big gathering fosters excitement, even when the primary feast is not at your house. It can also be stressful if we forget priorities. Ask yourself, "is the house safe? Will anyone get sick or injured from being here". If you can reasonably answer no, you're half way there. Yes, it is important to have a clean house, well relatively clean. The bathroom needs to be scrubbed. But just as important is that care be taken to make everyone feel at home. It is not really important that everything be perfect. At least I don't think so. After all, if you are too worn out to feel at ease with your guests, they will know it and be uncomfortable. So I am sweeping and mopping floors. I am cleaning bathrooms. I am making sure clean sheets are on the guest beds. I am picking up clutter. Beyond that, I don't think it really matters. Who cares if my desk isn't completely empty or that some of the boxes of stuff I am in the middle of going through are in sight in the rec-room? We will eat till we are full. We will enjoy putting our feet up and reminiscing. We will probably watch a DVD or two. Yes, we will discuss politics and religion and we will be sad when it is time to say good by.

The comforts of home will still be here the next time family or friends come round. The comforts of home are, after all, making everyone who comes through your front door feel welcome and at ease. Most of that feeling is the attitude you display. So take a deep breath. De-stress and prioritize. No one will think less of you should some of the laundry not get folded. This is home, not the Grand Ritz Hotel.