take care

when we were growing up, my sister molly was really neat and i was quite the opposite. she took good care of all her things, kept a tidy room and regularly dusted the dashboard of her car when she got one. my room and my car were both train wrecks. like, scary. think tunnels to walk through.

since then, i've improved quite a bit - i've learned the pleasures of a clean space, and i believe in the link between positive self-care and caring for your surroundings. so it always makes me smile when i sit across from this one woman on the train. she meticulously goes through the same routine each time she settles in. she sorts through her bag, putting things where they belong...she applies her makeup and handcream, wiping off each bottle and tube before putting it away. then she takes out her sunglasses and cleans them carefully. the care she uses with everything she owns reminds me of a little girl who takes impeccable care of her dolls, and as an adult, i respect it because i believe it connects to the way we care for ourselves.

i try to remember the examples of the train lady and my sister as i go through the world with all my stuff. i try to respect the money spent on things, the time spent creating them and my own enjoyment of owning them. all those things warrant extra care in their care.

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