In Fourth Grade a Student Teacher (I think) came to Mrs. Barker's class and she did a few lessons on poetry. She taught us about the different types of poetry. One type was using the letters in a word or name and finding a word that describes it/them beginning with the same letter.
OK that was a tad complicated to type out but hopefully you get it. If not here is an example of Car:
Costs me money
Airplane would be better
Replace oil soon
Being the Danielle that I am, at the age of 9 I chose DAD as one of the words I would do. I only remember the words I used for one of the D's. "Decorating my life".
Extremely gifted 9 year old poet or a kid that listened to the radio too much? Hint: it was the radio one. Link to lyrics of Kenny Roger's song. Either way I was praised for my ability to be 9 and act like I was 39.
So in one of my many moments of random deep thought, probably in the car or in bed, I began to think deeper. There are a lot of people that "decorate" our lives. Some people you allow to hang things up and other people just come right in and put candles on your mantle without being asked. Either way, when the "season" is over, you need to undecorate.
My Dad is a main person that was automatically allowed to design the way my life would look. He put up some ugly shit I can tell you that. There are quite a few other people that contributed ugly things. The deeper thought I had was that I get to decide what stays and what goes.
At many times in our lives we are given strange and unattractive gifts. Wedding gifts, House Warming, Christmas. Things that other people thought we would like. They were trying to be nice and show that they cared but they don't share your taste. In some cases you wonder if they were blind folded when they picked it out.
I remember one gift that my sister received as a wedding gift. Oh my word it was horrible! It was a ceramic Mother pig in a basket with little piglets that you could line up at her hand painted nipples. What in the world?!?!? I could be wrong but I can't think of anyone that would seriously buy that for themselves! I guess if you were really big into country decor... we will just leave it as "I don't like it". I also dislike chicken and rooster decor.
You definitely know what to do with unattractive gifts given by people who are not close to you. You trash them, re-gift them or donate them. The decision is much more difficult when it is someone you love. Do you keep it around because they are someone you should trust? They love you and gave it to you for a reason. Will you need it later?
I spent a lot of time un-decorating my life when I got married. I was so programmed to always be thinking ahead. Always planning and questioning. Always assuming. While tearing down the old decor I came across some old boxes and new people. There was finally room for other ways of thinking. Positive remarks and encouragement from people that should have never ended up in a box. New ways of viewing other people and their reactions emerged when I opened the door. Redecorating was not easy but it was worth it.
I guess what I am saying is, once we get older we chose the people that shape and decorate our lives. We also have full control over the current design and what we have left hanging on our walls. Look at that ugly picture of a fruit bowl on the wall and say "You know..? I don't like you. Never have liked you. I am taking you down so I don't have to think about you anymore".
You have control. You are the only Interior Designer licensed to practice decorating in your life. So own it, sort through it and make it something to be proud of.
