As I sat down to write this blog, The Foo Fighters, “Times Like These” danced through my speakers and wrapped around my heart.
“It’s times like these you learn to live again It’s times like these you give and give again It’s times like these you learn to love again It’s times like these time and time again…”
These last few months have been like walking through a fog. Even in this very hot Louisiana summer, it felt like the sun had stopped shining for a little while there.
My mom’s cancer came back aggressively, landing her in and out of the hospital, into hospice care, and then came her very quick and unfair passing. And on top of that, it seemed that my whole family has been sick with something or another for a month now.
But yesterday, the sun came out for a little while and the fog was lifted ..and I learned to live and love again…just a little more.
I was giving the dog a bath and my son Gabriel came and asked me if we could do an art project that he had found in a box. I reluctantly said, “yes,” even though the house is a mess from trying to renovate while living in it.
Sometimes I think we are afraid to make messes with our children because we end up being the ones who clean it up… but the truth is, there is so much beauty in the messes our children make.
While making our mess yesterday, I saw my children problem solve, listened to their creative storytelling, and have so much fun.
The messes are important.
We ended our evening with another big messy adventure, board games in the front yard.
It was HOT, sweaty, and I had almost a whole bottle of bug spray on my body, but I have not laughed this hard in a long time. And my children reminded me that it’s okay that life is a little messy right now.
Out of our messes, creativity flows. Our creativity produces beauty. Beauty leads to a deeper appreciation for life.
I am so thankful for my children and their messes.
Sending you all lots of love,
Kelly Airhart
Artist and creator of Roux-Dolph & Co