I was cleaning up the living room, picking up newspapers and throwing toys into the toy box, muttering about how many pairs of shoes were on the floor instead of in the closet. As I pulled out the vacuum, my three-year-old looked up from where she was playing with her little brother and said, "Who's coming over, Mommy?"

She assumed (based on previous experiences) that we only cleaned when we expected company. It was a logical deduction for her to make, even though—on that particular day—I was simply longing for a little order.

St. Catherine of Sienna once said, "Make for yourself … one actual home … and another spiritual home, which thou art to carry with thee always." Quaint language aside, I think St. Kate is on to something. I spend a lot of time making my actual home, doing everything from home improvements to scrubbing toilets. But what do I do to maintain this spiritual home inside myself?

My spiritual home is my true home, the place where I am most truly myself, ...