Clean Up the Mess:

I don't know about you, but nothing frustrates me more than a mess. After working all day, carting the kids from one activity to another, and trying to fit dinner in at some point, the last thing I want to arrive home to is a mess.

I'm not talking about messy living spaces, bedrooms, kitchens, and bathrooms. I can deal with crumbs on the counter and dog hair on the rug. I can deal with clothes on the floor and wet towels lying around. I can't, however, deal with a messy lawn.

It has taken years for me to establish what I call "my place away from the mess." The kids have helped dig, hoe, and level dirt. We've installed outdoor fountains to spruce up the annuals and perennials that adorn the front and back lawn. I've carefully selected garden statues and water fountains that were custom made. It's been a family effort and it is a place that everyone in the family values. It is not a mess.

In fact, it is breathtaking and beautiful in a world where fog surrounds our trees and pollution haunts the beauty of the outdoors, in a world where fads and fashion dictate and define beauty on the inside and out. It is our beauty and our outdoor haven that is free from judgment and corruption.

When preserved, the great outdoors is literally, great. It offers solitude that a home cannot. It is a place where I can let my thoughts wander, ponder the hustle and bustle of the day, and take in something much more positive than the arguing between my children and the demands of my job.

It is where I can float away with the sounds of the garden fountains I've acquired or create an imaginary land where my bronze statues come to life and wait on me hand and foot. It is where magic takes place - a place where concrete fountains become towers to climb and where a gazebo becomes a special playhouse for everyone, regardless of age.

It is where my daughter can share secrets with friends. It is where I can enjoy a good book. It is where my son convenes his action figure meetings. Most importantly, it is a safe place for all of us to retreat to when life is hectic and messy.

This sense of peaceful sillyness is what we, as a family, have come to appreciate, even look forward to day in and day out. Without it, there would be much more anxiety and much more confrontation. Without it, we would bottle up stress, frustration, and anger. Without it, we would not be able to develop creative ideas, brainstorm strategies, and express ourselves freely without the restraint of society.

Who would have thought that a few outdoor fountains, bronze statues, colorful plants, and a season's worth of hard work digging, planting, and planning would solve the problems of the day, the month, or even the year? Maybe it hasn't for you, but then again, maybe your lawn is a mess.