which basically made me realize how very unorganized I'd been living. It contrasts people who are Right Brained with the other crazy people. Actually, the point of the book is that Left Brained people have an easier time maintaining organization. The cool memory trick the author used to distinguish characteristics of the brain halves is this: Right Brainers are creative, impulsive, and generally messy. You can think of the letter R as a very curly, complicated letter to represent these people. Left Brained people are linear thinkers (think of the straight lines of an L). They have an easier time maintaining order and routines and they think in logical sequences without deviating.
I'm quite sure I have a brain that is dominated by a very strong Right hemisphere that lords over the weak left. I've been trying in the last few years to strengthen my left side, but I sure like thinking creatively more than linearly.
When I was a kid, my mom was so willing to let me carry my creativity to the limit. I would spend hours on projects that had no seeming purpose, and she would not say a word! Bless her heart. She has been my inspiration as I have watched my children make such things as fur-covered blocks or cardboard cars.
Which brings me to the question: should creativity be encouraged if there is no visible, useful outcome? Is the process as important as the product? Did artists such as Monet make a lot of junk as a kid?
Creativity is a blessing and a curse. I think creative people have more fun. I learned in my favorite college course that creative people are not disturbed by clutter (hence the condition of my house). My friend told me of a T.V. show she watched where they went into the offices of some of the best producers and writers. Their desks were covered with papers, and the rooms were a mess, and yet they could put out brilliant work in that atmosphere. Creative people produce awesome musicals, paintings, inventions, songs, etc. Right brained people will add color to a gathering of friends!
And yet, we need to learn to conform, to be on time, to not live in utter chaos, to manage money, and to fix some square meals and put things on a calendar. Ugh.
During the last month of my pregnancy, I went a little psycho. I started labeling everything in the house. I actually enjoyed it. It was nesting, carried to the extreme. Staying up late painting and putting things in baskets and bins and putting labels Everywhere! I even labeled the fridge shelves, and one even had a label for "Reconstituted Milk"! I very very rarely reconstitute milk. Ha! It became so radical that Cory started labeling things, too. He made labels for the wood pile, the doorknob, the towel rack, etc. He even made a label that said "Levi" and put it on my tummy. Too funny.
So the house was quite orderly, except for my closet which seemed way too daunting, and I was happy. Or, so I thought. I would freak out if things landed on the floor or if they weren't put in their designated, labeled spot. I vacuumed all the time and disinfected all the surfaces. I organized my spices, medicines, washcloths, pillowcases, books, appliances, pantry, etc., etc., etc. And I think I was a unfun to live with. Maybe the reason I came to this conclusion, and you can disagree with me if you want to, is that when I would see someone in our family put something in the wrong place I would feel lasers shoot from my eyes and I would growl at them.
And then Levi was born and I relaxed a little and Cory is thrilled I have something to care about other than the coat closet, and we are all very, very happy.
I think creative order is the goal. Is there such a thing?
I wish I were better at routines and doing things the same way every time. I wish I didn't consider laundry so very boring when compared with the hundreds, no thousands, of projects I'd like to be working on. Because, face it. Laundry is a big part of my life. I chose that when I had five kids. There aren't many creative ways to do laundry. But it is important and must be done.
I wish I could be "content", as the Book of Mormon says, with what has been allotted to me, and not constantly have the desire to elaborate on what I have.
My life is soooo good. I love being an American, a mom, a wife, a homemaker. I just need to figure out how to live my life in an organized, but creative way.
Hmmm....
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