Today's post is written by Kendra of HaveMercy. I'm introducing you to some of my online favorites while I take a bit of a maternity leave. I appreciate Kendra's thoughtful approach to slow, simple, intentional living. Enjoy!
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Intentional.
I say this word slowly, letting it become itself in my mouth. My mother told me to have a reason for what I do, for the way I do it, and I’ve put that in the center of who I am. I think, sometimes too much, about why we do what we do and what does it MEAN.
Because everything means something. There are so many beautiful lessons in the ordinary life that surrounds all of us. Lessons like, “Time takes time,” and, “Love is the only thing that works.” When I drift into my thoughts, I’m usually contemplating why I do such-and-such and who’s it for and what am I trying to say? Mostly, I ask, “How do I approach this part of life, being who I am and nothing more, in the most true, loving way I can?” Dressing, parenting, spending money, trying to be green, trying to eat what my body likes, practicing yoga, loving my friends, managing my time and caring for my self. All this floats up and gets discussed at HaveMercy.
There’s also practical stuff, like how to make your home lovely, since I think beauty is healing. I even show how to do it without spending your grocery money. (Bonus!) I’ve talked about how to make holidays warm and fuzzy instead of stressful and buzzy, how to accept when you don’t have your best to give people and how to give something good, even if it’s small, how to take a break, how to tell the truth about life so our friends don’t have to be the first to say, “I’m messy.”
Also, how to forgive yourself when you’re too scared or aren’t ready. That’s why I call it HaveMercy. I felt overwhelmed just titling my blog and then realized I could offer myself, even if I wasn’t epic. I want mercy to ooze off the page at you, so you know you're okay. Always okay. As we strive to be better and more beautiful and truer, we can smile and try because we know we’re okay now. Even when we aren’t intentional.
Because we all find our focus slips. We get side-tracked and our hearts clamor for paltry stuff. When your most important intention to live graciously fails, I hope I can say it for you. When I forget, I sit down to write you and remember.
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for more from kendra:
blog | havemercy
twitter | @havemercyblog
pinterest | kendra k carlson
