Everyday Things

 

               There’s no denying that big moments are not what make up most of our lives.  Our lives are a string of everyday things; making coffee, grocery shopping, laundry, cleaning the floors, and preparing meals.  Add in interactions with family, friends, and strangers and there you have your average life.  Now and then there are big moments; awards, weddings, christenings, funerals, moving, and milestones such as graduating. The fabric of our lives is made up of many threads.

               It’s the mundane things that give us some security and comfort.  While folding laundry is not one of my favorite activities, it reminds me that I am blessed indeed to have clothing and the means to keep it clean and stored so it’s ready to be worn.  Apparently I need that reminder often since it seems that there is at least one load waiting to be dealt with on a daily basis!  The scent of the detergent, and the unique way a freshly dried pile of clothing smells speak of home and safety.  When my girls were babies I hung the laundry on a clothesline to dry in order to save on our utility bills, but as they grew and my attentions were drawn elsewhere, those golden days of little shirts and bedsheets flapping in the sun gave way to rushing from activity to activity and the whirring of the washer and dryer in the evening after everyone was clean, fed and settled in for the night.  There were times that a mountain of laundry awaited me Sunday afternoon wedged in between meals and family time. Now I am back to the task being almost a daily requirement and I’m not sure if it was better to leave all for one day or to spread it out this way.  Probably it doesn’t matter much, as long as it gets done.  I take solace in the knowledge that I’m not the only one who is frequently reminded of this blessing.

               Planning and preparing meals then cleaning up the kitchen and dishes is another ordinary task that most everyone does.  It starts with brewing coffee or tea in the morning, and is there any more welcome aroma and sound than the tea kettle whistling or the coffee maker gurgling while rubbing the sleep out of your eyes and getting your body stretched and ready to meet the day? Even if you’re guzzling that brew or pouring it into your travel mug as you run out the door, it is a small pleasure we look forward to upon awakening.  Routinely making a lunch to take along or putting together a sandwich at noon when you’re home, and then cooking dinner at the end of the day lends us a sense of normalcy in what is sometimes a chaotic time of our lives.  Seeing our kitchen cleaned up as we sip something warm and comforting in the evening gives a sense that we made it through the day and can rest knowing that we’re ready for tomorrow.

               Daily tasks give us a base to return to when work and other events threaten to unbalance us.  Although they may feel boring or annoying at times, they are useful for keeping ourselves on track to be the best that we can be.  If we can feel content that whatever else life throws at us there’s always going to be humdrum tasks to help us move along, then we can handle most anything.