The Perspective Of Longevity

Photo of me taken on the Oregon coast by the fabulous © Tracey Clark

My current mantra: I am not in a hurry. I am not in a hurry.

This past Tuesday I joined in on another Paperclipping Roundtable discussion. The Roundtable is a great weekly podcast that covers all kinds of topics related to scrapbooking with a variety of different guests from week to week. This week the topic was about telling longer family stories.

One of the themes that came out of the discussion, that's absolutely relevant to me and my life right now, is the idea of embracing a perspective of longevity. Of being a part of something for the long-haul. I see my scrapbooks as a life-long project and welcome that wholeheartedly. There will always be more stories to tell and more moments to celebrate and more connections to be made between past and present.

I absolutely love that.

I also love that my 12x12 albums are works in progress and that they reflect the evolving nature of my life. There's no being in a hurry and no catching up. Instead there is enjoyment and fulfillment and love. My scrapbooks are not judgmental - they welcome new stories at any time, even if it's been awhile since I last added a page, and they care very little whether the story comes from 1976 or 2010. 

I'm finding that the way I view scrapbooking can help me in the way I approach this new home.

It's ok to take my time. It's ok to get a feel for the rhythms of this house just like I hunt for the rhythms of a story. It's ok to tackle one big story (one room) or to tackle little bits of different stories as the inspiration hits (one box here, one box there). It's ok to take a break for awhile and come back with fresh eyes. It's ok to let it evolve one day at a time because I'm in it for the long-haul.

I'm reminded once again that it's not about the extra stuff on the page or the extra stuff in the boxes. It's about what's most essential: the people, the right now, the old & new memories, the photos, the words.

My scrapbooks are home to my layouts. This house, moment by moment, is becoming our home. 

Bring on the the beautiful, wonderful long-haul.