I think I posted this little poem before but it came back to mind these past few days as I find myself "summer-cleaning." (Yes, don't judge, I also spring-clean, fall-clean and winter-clean.)
I've always been one to dust and clean every corner of the house before I felt like I could sit or actually engage in an activity of enjoyment. Not that I'm not enjoying myself while cleaning. I'm one of those rare birds who actually likes the satisfying feeling of cleaning. Making something look better than before. Making something shine. Standing back and admiring the new look of a room cleaned and orderly.
My daughter tells me she is the same way and gets this from me, like a curse. Well, okay, where do you think I got this part of my personality? Of course...from my mother, who else?
So this is the poem:
Dust if you must, but wouldn't it be better
To paint a picture or write a letter,
Bake a cake or plant a seed,
Ponder the difference between want and need?
Dust if you must, but there's not much time,
With rivers to swim and mountains to climb,
Music to hear and books to read,
Friends to cherish and life to lead.
Dust if you must, but the world's out there,
With the sun in your eyes, the wind in your hair,
A flutter of snow, a shower of rain.
This day will not come around again.
Dust if you must, but bear in mind,
Old age will come and it's not kind.
And when you go, and go you must,
You, yourself, will make more dust.
So that tells me, if I read it carefully, that not only are there other things I could be doing with my time rather than busying myself cleaning, but that in the end, it's futile anyway.
Hmmm, something to ponder.
But in the meantime, I'm going through the house room by room, spiffing everything up, washing curtains and bedspreads, emptying cupboards and closets, reorganizing drawers, all so that I can eventually sit and relax (someday). Stitch a sampler. Read a book.
The only thing contradictory about this is that people like me, rare though we may be, enjoy the process of cleaning as much as engaging in those other activities. I am relaxed when I'm working. I'm happy vacuuming. 🙆
But in the spirit of the poem, I get it. These tasks or chores or whatever you may call them are really never done. The feeling of satisfaction is fleeting, and the bottom line is you're the only one who even cares.
So the lesson is to find happiness and satisfaction in pursuing things like painting a picture (I can't draw a stick), climbing a mountain (my knees are bad), swimming a river (I'm water-phobic), and cherishing a friendship.
Okay, the last one I can do.
~~~~~~~~~~~
So my new goal is to cherish a friendship (a phone call, a letter, a visit), stitch a sampler, go for a walk, or read a book, equal to the time I spend cleaning. One hour for one hour.
I think I like it already.
As always, thank you for allowing me to share my random thoughts.
And if you wish to become a "Follower" - I would be beyond thrilled.
