05 October 2009

Unlikely Blessings

I have a friend who once told me that she sees laundry as a spiritual exercise.

Yes, you read that correctly.

This comes from a mother of four young boys, who most certainly has a larger-than-most-families laundry case load. And she's not some rose-colored glasses, put-a-happy-face-on-everything mom. She's real, she's gritty, she yells as much as I do, she loses patience like we all do, and she loves her kids truly, madly, deeply.

I think about her laundry prayer often when I am faced by incomprehensible piles of clothes, colassal mountains of dirty dishes, and family life detritus on every conceivable surface. Keeping up with this household feels so burdensome at times.

But I aspire to my friend's brand of devotion to taking care of the things that take care of everyone else. The tasks are truly thankless and never-ending. And yet, they are vital to everyone in the family. If I can do them with some semblance of grace, patience, devotion, presence...maybe they can come to mean more than drudgery.

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I'll let ya' know how that goes.

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5 comments:

Viv said...

She doesn't live in Florida does she? I could see a beautiful friendship forming out of a case like that!

nicole said...

laundry...as devotion...humbly to say the least.

Heather said...

i find joy in folding socks. Weird I know, but really, it gives me pleasure. Something about getting one up on the land-that-swallows-the-other-sock.

Every pair I make is a victory! I have a special spot for the odd men out. Every once in a while, even those guys score. Did I ever tell you that Issa's nickname as a baby was Issa-one-sock/shoe?

simple pleasures :)

And I'll Raise You 5 said...

Heather, I think I've heard this about you before! I love that the odd man out scores every now and then. :) Issa One-Sock...I can so picture it!!

Momlissa said...

Hi there! I just gave you an award.

http://3kidsin2yrs.blogspot.com/2009/10/thank-you-to-heather-for-bestowing-this.html

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