My daughter thought it was hilarious that I finally scraped the strip of blue tape from the window. Sadly, it helped both of us realize how dirty all our windows are. It’s funny what we notice, but ignore simultaneously and it’s been so long since I’ve cleaned the outside of a window that I’d forgotten the feeling of renewal it gives.

Recently, a friend came to visit and she’s one of the very few people who have been inside my home. I just don’t invite people over and after spending half of my life entertaining guests in previous houses, where everything had to look perfect, I actually enjoy living in my home now. This is why her comment upon entering surprised me when she exclaimed, “I knew it would be perfect!” Hah…I love my friend but it’s anything but perfect. My hope is that you’d feel the love that’s been shared here.

When we made plans for her visit, I didn’t start cleaning which is a huge shift from past Barb. The day before she arrived, I ran the vacuum and wiped down the bathroom, but that was about the extent of it. I felt it was time to simply enjoy the visit without a lot of preparation, but I did pour a Chemex before she arrived. She asked about the coffee bar which was disassembled years ago and is now a space for creativity, but felt zero guilt seeing the little Christmas house laying there in pieces, waiting for me to open the jar of paint and apply the first coat.

As I’ve gotten older, my perfectionism is falling to the wayside and I’m so grateful for this. The best I can tell, looking back over my life, perfectionism prevented me from enjoying the moment. Maybe having each little item perfectly in place created an illusion of holding it all together, but I’m discovering the less I have to take care of, the more easily I breathe. As I ponder the direction my heart wants to lead in the upcoming year, the one thing that truly resonates is collecting moments.

Click here to read my friend Dawn’s post as she acknowledges perfectionism in her life.