Don't get me wrong, I am a huge, HUGE fan of Martha in so many ways from her business savvy to her vast domestic knowledge. Not to mention, her ability to face scrutiny and criticism and continue moving forward with what she loves proves that she is a true Steel Magnolia. (Well, one of the northern kind, anyhow.) But, I am not a perfectionist and Martha is a perfectionist! That's what makes her work so compelling. You will never see something "thrown together" or less than perfect. Do I strive to be perfect? No, it's not my nature. But I absolutely love beautiful things. I'm not talking about fine furnishings or jewelry, (although they're not a bad thing) but I'm talking about walking outside and reveling in the colors found in nature or the aromas that fill the kitchen while cooking or the sparkle of diamond as it hits the light. (Okay, okay the diamond was kind of a joke but you know what I'm getting at.) We're all busy with life, families, careers and such and maybe we don't have time to perfect our lives in way such as Martha. However, we can do simple things to make life more graceful (not perfect) such as placing a small bud vase near our kitchen sink filled with dainty flowers or setting the timer in the kitchen to de-clutter for 10 minutes or relaxing with some deep breathing before falling asleep.
Now, regarding Ms. Post. There's no doubt she was a fine, fine lady and the contributions she and her successors have made to society are immeasurable. Once again, I am no Emily Post! I do own her book and admittedly I have to reference it often. The word etiquette sounds so uppity but it's really nothing short of having good manners and being thoughtful of others. The best thing about manners is that they are FREE! (Similar to a smile by the way.) You don't need any amount of money to be grateful or courteous. Etiquette is so obtainable these days too. Follow Emily Post on Facebook or sign up for the email newsletter here.
In short, I adore Martha and admire Emily. My friend knows this and I'm sure that's why she chose to compliment me in this way. Before my "domestic life," I had a thriving sales career which I chose to temporarily put aside to maximize my time at home with my children. I feel very,very blessed to have had this choice. I know this time will not last forever which is why I'm embracing my domestic life by doing things like perfecting my chocolate chip cookies, cultivating a vegetable garden and teaching my children good manners. It's the hardest job in the world, with no monetary value but the rewards are beyond words. It's a "career opportunity" I could not pass up because these days will become memories when my children leave home. Eventually, I will return back to my "professional career" but be sure that when my kids come home on weekends to visit, the perfect homemade chocolate chip cookies will be waiting for them when they walk through the door.
Your Southern Peach
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