Be Mindful of What Enters Your Home

Does your home feel like a sanctuary or a battlefield?

The streets today are filled with more violence and  garbage than ever before. While technology has brought us the conveniences of  having boundless and useful information at our fingertips, it has also introduced dangers such as sexting and other outlets for inappropriate behavior.  The divorce rate is as high as ever.  More and more frequently I hear about couples that are in the process of separating or already have.  Anything we can do to curb the tide we should and must do.

Several years ago, I had the “privilege” of working with a chronically miserable elderly couple. The husband insisted on bringing other women into the home while his wife, in her words, “would go along with it.”  Their home was the antithesis of a sanctuary for either one of them.  Although they never divorced, she was miserable and he was miserable, and their misery was hopelessly untreatable.

It is imperative that we be cognizant of what enters our homes and the effects that it has.  For example, if we bring lots of plants into our homes, there’s a good chance that our homes will feel very alive and inviting yet soothing and calming.  On the other hand if we bring movies and images that illicit thoughts about sexual fantasy, we will soon be the victims of our own imaginations and of “the grass is always greener on the other side” syndrome.  When this happens, we are at danger of acting out our impulse to “improve our lot” even if it is at the cost of our personal and familial destruction.

If we are to build healthy and lasting homes and relationships we must make sure that the content that enters our homes is healthy and productive content aimed at building and strengthening our family bonds.  One way of looking at it is like this: Family life (and married life) is like an elevator, it’s either going up or its going down.  Let’s make sure that it’s on the up and up!!!

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