There’s a Lot Happening Out There

I’m thinking of replacing our front door. The one we currently have is pretty and stylish, but it’s also distracting. I wasn’t enamored of it when we first moved into this home at the end of 2023, and am less so now. I don’t like that someone could stand on our front step and peer inside—not that there’s much of anything going on in here at any given time.

Molly agrees.

Families with kids live on our street and, while I love to see them run around and play outside, Molly finds the all the activity distracting. She feels the need to warn us that there are things going on out there. Now, as we inch closer to the dark months and lights from passing cars get her attention, she easily slips into guard mode throughout the day.

I cultivate peace and quiet in our home. Just now as I’m tapping out these words, the only sound is coming from the stove where there’s a pot of chicken soup simmering. I believe tending our own literal and metaphoric home and garden and caring for ourselves is more important than many of the distractions clamoring for our attention on any given day at any given hour so I keep it quiet. Calm. Peaceful.

Similar to how Molly’s attention is taken away from whatever occupies her the sanctuary of our home by noise of lights outside the front door, my own peace is easily disrupted by the news cycle or other distractions that clamor for my attention on any given hour on any given day.

Oh, there’s reason to be informed and understand what’s happening out there—to an extent. Wild beasts in the form of current events crouch at the ready to pounce, and put me in a flight-or-fight mode that ups my adrenaline and wears away at my mental, physical, and spiritual well-being. At some point, it all demands a cost I’m unwilling to pay.

And so Molly. And the front door. And the cost to our Yorkie’s peace causes by distractions outside our pretty and stylish front door. What to do? The jury’s still out. Meanwhile, I’m shoring up my own personal boundaries that tend to erode if I’m not paying attention.

May this day, and those that follow, be peaceful.

World without end.

Amen.