Simple Sustainability: Home Production

This post is in reference to a series on sustainability conducted by Rhonda at Down To Earth.

A home that shows a productivity level is part of an enterprise that has at least one occupant who is striving to accomplish a goal. That goal may be fulfilled with basic day to day tasks, a special project, or numerous chores that are performed simultaneously.

Home production can probably be measured best by mere observation. Looking into a home’s heart and the home’s surroundings, we can all easily figure out if the home is productive, active, and positive based or if the home is not very productive or disorganized. Sometimes we can even look into a home’s heart and see a dysfunctional or broken system, often times an effect of unhappy or unhealthy people.

Many people believe that home is where the heart is, a sentiment that rings true with me. On the other hand, there are many other people who are not interested in having a home except as a base to sleep or perform basic functions. For us, though, and those of us who are participating in Rhonda’s home audit, we each share the belief that we can make a happy and productive home through positive steps and actions, no matter if they are small or grand in scale. The important factor to realize is that all of the actions taken towards productivity are positive based and good for our souls because they often reflect our personal values.

Rhonda wrote: “…it’s just making whatever we can at home. There seems to be a certain mindset that goes with this. Sometimes we start off awkwardly , not sure if our skill level is sufficient, but with one or two projects under your belt, you realise it’s just a matter of trial and error and the more you do it, the less error there is.”

We need to think no further than our first cooking efforts. How many of us ate our mistakes? But how many of us were so appreciative of what we had succeeded to do?

During the years that I ran a business, I taught fiber art and quilting classes both locally and regionally. Since I have quilted most of my life, I have quite a few quilts and have worked hard to make good color choices and quality stitches with my quilting. Teaching beginner quilting students, I would sometimes hear, “I’ll never be very good” or “I’ll never be able to quilt”. And I would always remind these students that each of learned to walk by first crawling, then toddling and falling, then trying again, with small steps, one at a time, until we perfected our steps. The trial and error way is active-learning. We also learned to communicate with people, and this too, took time to learn. But we all learned to walk and to talk, and none of us were defeatists. We never thought we would fail. We set our sights on achievement and accomplishment, and we were successful.

I try hard to not fall into quitter-mode when I try something new. Keeping perspective helps, and it also helps to remember baby steps first. Too often, people give up or grow discouraged. When agitated because something might get the best of you, take a break and walk away from the discouragement. Come back later, renewed and with a different perspective. Learning something new can be frustrating, but with time and practice, some of those frustrations can be met with accomplishment or even a bit of pride at succeeding.

My life lessons in patience and perseverance came when I was about 10 or 11 years old, through playing piano and sewing. I loved both of these hobbies and learned that if I wanted to be good, I would need to work hard and practice. So I practiced and I learned patience to achieve the goal of playing good piano. Patience really came in quite handy when raising children later in life….

Speaking of children, it is probably because of my own experiences that I have such a strong commitment for children having hobbies. Every child should have a healthy outlet, no matter what it is: music, a sport, a collection, an activity. Although a hobby can be a great mind-diversion, a hobby can also provide the means to learn patience and perseverance in an enjoyable outlet. A hobby is truly about character building. The people who enjoy hobbies are among the most productive people. Perhaps this is because a hobby is fulfilling and can be a best friend. Or perhaps because a hobby can provide the avenue for self-expression.

With productivity comes relaxation. Every productive and happy home needs down-time. Time to relax and time to play. Basic R&R. Play and hobbies go hand-in-hand, and I’m such a believer in playtime. Adults can play beautifully, some can play with children, some can play with other adults. Many adults can play alone….this is where an active hobby can become a play session. Do you play?

My play time is when I quilt, when I’m with my Goldens, when I’m with my granddaughter, or when I’m kayaking. Some play is with my husband, or by myself, and some play is with another person. For me, the best play is about laughter and when the soul is filled with light and warmth.

The best part about play is the free, uplifting emotion gained only when the heart is light and happy. After playing, when the focus shifts back from the freedom of play towards home, we are refreshed, relaxed, and ready for the next moment or the next challenge.

Then we return back to the place we call home. Home is where the comfort is, where we are at ease. A home is where we can, indeed, hang our hearts. And whether we are home or away, we will look at our next chore or area of interest with joy because we are content and secure, knowing this is where the heart and soul dwell.

This year, I am planning to learn basic soapmaking. Making soaps may be of no interest to a number of people, but I am looking forward to learning and exploring this age-old activity. Making soap is a hands-on craft, and I do so love working with my hands.