Autumn always brings out the "nesting" desire in me. I want to putter around my home and rearrange things as I reacquaint myself with each special object and memory. The weekend has dawned dark and dreary, a perfect day to light candles and brew an extra cup of tea. I admit to being a bit odd, but a dark and rainy day always brings a smile to my face. It gives me permission to stay home. While the women's movement was timely and necessary, our society has definitely moved backwards in certain areas in our zeal to bring women into greater equality. We have lost much of our respect and reverence for the art of home keeping.
Sarah Ban Breathnach writes in "Romancing the Ordinary";
A Victorian woman's home was her eminent domain, and she ruled over it with as much confidence as Queen Victoria ruled the world. No amount of time, money, emotion or creative and physical energy expended to make one's home the center of the universe was considered frivolous or extravagant. Women approached the domestic arts - cleaning, cooking, decorating, gardening, handcrafts, and entertaining - not as burdens but as a form of personal expression and deep sources of pleasure.
A friend once flippantly told me "I have better things to do with my time than clean the house." While I admit getting caught in this same dynamic more than I like, a rainy day always gives me the unneeded excuse to stay at home, putting my house and my inner life in order. While I appreciate the many choices I have as a woman of the 21st century, I enjoy the opportunity to stay at home when our family schedule permits. A rainy Saturday afternoon is always an unexpected gift to savor.
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