Buddha does my dishes.

 I have to admit, this has been kind of a bad week for escalating stress over tasks that seem to be piling up around the household.  A couple of people around here, and I wont mention any names, have actually been getting into some pretty awful (and dumb) arguments regarding said tasks.  Anyone who has ever had a baby can attest to the fact that, delightful as they may be, they don't make getting the chores done any easier.  I have been feeling in over my head, and getting kind of angry about it.  This evening I was reading in a little book of Buddhist meditations and it got me thinking.... I don't really think of washing my dishes, folding piles of laundry (and then re-folding them as Sadie dumps them on the floor), or cleaning up around Sadie's high chair for the umpteenth time that day as a time to practice self-centering, but really, what better time to be mindful?  

So even though it was 9pm, and I had already done lots of chores today, and I was tired, and I was the one who cooked everyone dinner, I decided to tackle my uber-messy kitchen in a zen fashion tonight.  

I didn't wish the job on anyone else.

As I loaded the dishwasher I thought of how lucky we are to live in a place that even has such a luxury.

While washing the coffee pot I thought of how nice it will be to have a steaming cup of black wake-me-up in the morning, without having to wash it.

Scrubbing the cooking pots to a nice shiny silver just made me feel happy--

I like it when things are shiny.

I enjoyed the simple way the wooden utensils clacked together as they stacked in the drainer.

Instead of feeling grumpy, and resentful, I felt energized as I mopped the floor to a nice gleaming white, even knowing full well that it will be covered with muddy foot and paw prints by noon tomorrow.

Its funny how in life the best path to follow can sometimes be the one right in front of you;  you might just need to kick some weeds aside.

Call it an attitude adjustment, a perspective tweak, or whatever you will, all I can say is that from now on Buddha is going to be doing the dishes around here, because by letting go of my negativity I feel refreshed and satisfied.
I know that tomorrow I will have way more energy to devote to the things that are 
really  important.

peace,

Tara