We are used to cleaning the outside house, but the most important house to clean is yourself – your own house – which we never do. – Marina Abramovic
CLEANING A PHYSICAL HOME on a daily basis is tough work. It can be a continual uphill challenge that can demand much persistence and perspiration. Adding children to the equation makes it even more taxing. Millions of dollars and man-hours are spent every day in cleaning products in the fight to keep homes free from the threat of crawling and flying insects, moulds, dust, dirt, cobweb and many more uninvited guests. Keeping that house smelling and looking good is often a daily desirable goal for many families. Health and other numerous benefits cannot be calculated in dollars and cents.
On the other hand, there are families who may not be very diligent in their cleaning concerns for their dwelling places, and over time may unintentionally invite some undesirable creatures into their places of residence.
The result of such neglect may turn out demanding “heavy duty house-cleaning”, which could be very costly. When I considered that so much time, energy, money, and other resources are utilised to keep physical homes in a sanitary condition, how much greater effort should be applied to keeping our “nonphysical” homes clean.
The kinds of homes to which I am making reference are not made up of brick and board, furniture and fixtures; stoves and shelves, beds and bathrooms; curtains and cupboards, or even windows and washing machines; but of human beings that constitute the natural family. Keeping such homes clean has overwhelming spiritual, physical, mental, social, economic and emotional benefits not only for each family member, but also for the wider society.
The opposite is true. Neglecting to foster a stable home environment has the potential for developing a multiplicity of dangerous toxins such as domestic abuse, disrespect for authority, immoral behaviour, crime and violence, and divorce; the results of which carry a very high price tag.
The question that may cross your mind is, “How can I develop a habit of keeping my home clean?” The key is to know those things to keep and those things to discard. Today I shall take a look at two of those keys.
Start with wholesome thoughts towards yourself.
Wholesome thoughts are like fresh, clean water that can purify and keep your mental system operating in a healthy state. The gateway to your whole life and the way it will relate to all aroundit is via the mind.
Therefore, thinking positively does wonders for your entire well-being. I was delighted to meet a young woman in her mid-teens who said to me that despite the challenges she faces from her peers, she tries daily to make it a habit of cultivating pure thoughts so that she can make decent decisions for her life.
What an excellent model for all young people and adults alike. I commended her and encouraged her to maintain her first-class focus. Positive thoughts have a way of allowing you to make choices that will enhance your mental health and keep you sober in a world where mental health issues are worrying.
Research done and published by Clinical Practice And Epidemiology In Mental Health confirms that an optimistic outlook in people “heavily influences physical and mental health”, as well as enabling them to cope with their everyday social and working life experiences. Nicholas M. Butler, educator and 1931 Nobel Peace Prize winner, wisely remarked: “Optimism is essential to achievement and it is also the foundation of courage and true progress.” If every man cultivates wholesome thoughts about himself and every woman does the same, what great individuals, great husbands, great wives, great parents we can have, hence making the foundation of society, the home, a clean and pleasant place to live.”
I believe the overall benefits for society would be exceptionally breathtaking. But having good, worthwhile, uplifting thoughts without expressing them is like having a beautifully working vehicle and deciding not to drive it out of the garage to a delightful place.
Continue with wholesome words towards those within your home.
Words can be lethal or lovely, poisonous or precious. I agree with author Yehuda Berg who said: “Words are singularly the most powerful force available to humanity.
“We can choose to use this force constructively with words of encouragement, or destructively using words of despair. Words have energy and power with the ability to help, to heal, to hinder, to hurt, to harm, to humiliate and to humble.” The Holy Bible was very forthright in its expression about the power of words when it recorded in Proverbs 18:21, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they that love it will eat its fruit”.
In order to keep your home clean, it is important that health-giving words be the habitual practice of all the occupants of the home. As a husband, you should seek every day to express elevating words toward your wife, which would make her feel a sense of worth and value, rather than devaluing words that may send signals of insignificance and worthlessness.
As a wife you should practice daily to speak the kind of words to your husband that make him feel appreciated and important rather than unwanted and disrespected.
As a parent, single or married, you should strive to speak inspiring, encouraging and motivational words to your children very regularly rather than derogatory and degrading words, so that their esteem, and security levels can become very high. As children, you should speak words to your parents that would make them feel treasured and cherished rather than insulted and injured.
If every family member cultivates a positive internal attitude toward himself/herself and uses the kind of words that would demonstrate they prize each other, can you imagine the quality of homes we would have, and the superior society with which we would be blessed?
The old saying of cleanliness being very close to godliness is still true. Let us continuously apply it to our homes. Next week I will continue on this subject.
• Haynesley Griffith is a marriage and family life consultant. Email: griffitharticles@gmail.com