The Pink Room
Two of my daughters got married within two months of one another. It was a crazy time, but after the dust settled, there was an empty room with pink walls that had been mostly hidden by posters and pictures. I also inherited my aunt’s old-fashioned bed and matching furniture, which perfectly matched the pink walls and border.
Since there are so many young homeschooling moms in my life, or women going through difficult times, I decided to create a place of refreshment for the ladies I love so much—a place where they could go, shut the door, and forget everything for awhile.
A Place to Read
I filled the three bookshelves in the room with classics like Little Women, The Secret Garden, Hinds Feet on High Places, Pride & Prejudice, and Anne of Green Gables, along with books by Elisabeth Elliot, C.S. Lewis, Charles Dickens, and Emilie Barnes.
I didn’t forget the children. There were three shelves dedicated to children’s mysteries like Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, Sugar Creek Gang, and The Bobbsey Twins. A row of beautifully illustrated, well-written classic picture books (Russell Hoban, Margaret Wise Brown, Beatrix Potter, Robert McCloskey, Virginia Burton), and a row of classic easy readers (original Winnie-the-Pooh series, Amelia Bedelia, Thornton Burgess animal books, and Encyclopedia Brown) completed the bookshelves.
No how-to-books, no 10 easy steps to perfection. Only books to nourish the soul and refresh the mind.
A Place to Rest
On top of the fluffy mattress pad and soft sheets, I put a cheery pink comforter so the bed was ready for sitting and reading on, as well as falling asleep.
I put a cozy arm chair in the corner close to a bright light for reading and thinking.
An old-fashioned record player with hidden CD player next to a basket of gentle worship music completes the room.
To my surprise, everyone loves the pink room, including children and men!
“It’s peaceful.”
“I like to pull a book off the shelf and read a little.”
My grandson loves to nap in the pink room. He carefully pulls picture books off the shelf and reads himself to sleep.
My little room feels gentle and safe. There is nothing loud like TVs or technology. It is a place to step away from the pressures of life and rest.
Creating Places that Refresh the Soul
We all need a space that is nourishing. It might be the corner of your bedroom or homeschool room. It doesn’t have to be fancy. I did not spend one penny on the pink room. I just gathered stuff from around the house and put it together in a way that invited the visitor to stop and rest.
Homeschool moms need a place to stop and rest. We move, go, run, sweep, rescue, work, cook, clean, teach, discipline, fix, and serve our families from dawn until we drop. You may not have an empty room, but look for a little space, a corner in your house you can turn into a location that will refresh your soul.
If you love to read, make sure your favorite books are there. Add your favorite music. Bring in the most comfortable chair in the house and create your special place that invites you to take a deep breath and relax.
We all need our own pink room!
Until next time, Happy Homeschooling,
Warmly,
Meredith Curtis
Meredith Curtis, homeschooling mom, writer, speaker, and publisher, loves to encourage families in their homeschooling adventure. She is the author of HIS Story of the 20th Century, Travel God’s World Geography curriculum, American History Cookbook, Let’s Have Our Own Medieval Banquet, and Ancient History Timeline. You can check out her books, curricula, unit studies, and Bible studies at PowerlineProd.com. FreeReading Lists for all ages are available at JSHomeschooling.com. Read her blogs at MeredithCurtis.com and PowerlineProd.com. Listen to her podcast at Finish Well Radio.
