I had many years where I would say I lived a life that was pretty perfect.

I was low stress, organized, philanthropic, living in the moment and overall, I would say, pretty much together.

Then things fell apart.

While I tried to save my marriage as only a party of one……….I neglected to truly accept that the party was over.

It was humbling accepting my less than perfect life. After all, I had a hand in creating it.

My high school friend, Christy Largent interviewed me recently for her podcast, “Encouraging Words for Working Moms.”

http://tinyurl.com/k6ennx4

It was a great conversation of two old friends reconnecting and reflecting.

While twisting and turning through my journey. I told Christy, “You want to make every day joyful, but not every day perfect.”

This is the truth that accompanies my new perspective. I was fighting, rather than living my journey. There is goodness in imperfection. No, I would say there is a greatness that lives within imperfection. The messier side of life that I tried to avoid is what I now embrace.

In fact, I wish I had pictures of the chaotic moments.

The ones where all three of my boys were covered in dirt on my front step.

The toy trashed family room that held what they called, “their stuff.”

The exhausted mornings when they slept on the kitchen table rather than ate their breakfast.

The slurpee spilling moments in the backseat of the car.

The element of surprise catching them climbing to reach the kitchen cabinet filled with treats.

The discovery of the brand new wooden chair they carved their names in.

The sweet moments they suddenly huddled next to each other on the couch.

The loving mementos strewn all over the house left just for me…..candy wrappers, melted chocolate, perfectly chewed gum, clothes, balls, cleats, helmets, and more.

Dare I even say, as the mother of three boys, the bathrooms that I would rather not enter and the trail of clothes thrown all over the hallway that took them to it.

Yes, I wish I had more pictures of the chaotic moments and not the posed moments.

After all, the posed pictures weren’t really moments.

We didn’t share anything except the click of the camera…….an attempt to capture perfection.

I want the messy moments back. The ones where we were really living life.

The ones “when every day was joyful, but not perfect.”

(I would love to challenge everyone to start taking pics of the chaotic, messy moments)

Follow me on Facebook @Colleen Sheehy Orme
Twitter @colleenorme
Pinterest @colleensheehyorme
E-mail: Colleen.Sheehy.Orme@gmail.com

For More information on Christy Largent:
Follow her on Facebook @Christy Largent Speaker
Twitter @ChristyLargent.