Monica Nelida

Daily writing prompt

Is a little chaos actually good for us?

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When I think of chaos, I think of new beginnings. For example, moving into a new apartment or house can be chaotic. Once the move is complete, the home is almost always fully cluttered with boxes and out of place furniture.

The next morning, we venture out for breakfast for the energy needed to start the daunting task before us. As we drive home, breakfast sandwich in hand, we remind ourselves that the only way to finish an egg muffin sandwich is one bite at a time.

Back home, we wonder where is the moving crew to help with the unpacking? Oh. Yeah. We are faced once again with what seems like hundreds of boxes of stuff to unpack. Before the house comes together as a beautifully furnished, “a place for everything and everything in its place” sanctuary, there is chaos.

Chaos is inevitable. Chaos is undesirable. Chaos is unorganized. Chaos can be intimidating. Chaos can be addressed. Chaos is almost always temporary. Within chaos is a call for change. Chaos is a starting point. Chaos is the first phase to order.

When redecorating a room, first, I have a vision in mind of what I’d like the room to look like. Redecorating generally starts with me wanting a new look and the question, what would this (thing) look like over there? Then I’ll start moving furniture around. Soon after, the room is literally transformed into an obstacle course-furniture faced this way and that.

Chaos is necessary and is the starting point for change. The room is in a state of chaos. Yet I know that the chaos is part of the process and the room is not going to stay that way. As I keep moving things around to where I want them to be (or where they want to be), the vision that was once in my head is brought to life. Order follows chaos.

So to answer, yes, a little chaos is good. Chaos has answers. We look to chaos and find that which is out of order. Chaos may exist for a short or long while. To me, there is always going to be some form of chaos, big or small. It is a signifier that something is in need of change, for the better.