The Zen of Cleaning

“When cleaning I do it the way people go to church—not so much to discover anything new, although I’m alert for new things, but mainly to reacquaint myself with the familiar. It’s nice to go over familiar paths.”
― Robert M. Pirsig, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry Into Values

I’ve been cleaning these past few days and I know my methods bewilder my husband. When I came across this quote, I had to smile. This describes the way I clean perfectly. As I dust here and sweep there,  I remember where each thing came from and who gave it to us. As I make my way from room to room, it fell like I am a participant in my own very personal cleansing ritual. At the end of the day, I am both tired and renewed.

Now, we are still making our new home our own as we create new, Texas-size memories. Our home in Colorado had over twenty years of history spread over the hardwood floors, walls, doors, and carpeting. Our New Year’s Eve parties were special each leaving its unique “footprints” in that space we called home. There were those little dents in the hardwood floor from a heel that lost its cap–special because the wearer was new to our house and was on her first date with our friend who would later become her husband. A faint stain left from a bottle of red wine that toppled over as we raised our glasses, toasting each other and singing Auld Lang Syne. And not to be forgotten, all those cute little dogs faces that’d flashed into my mind each time I oiled the heavy front door. All things I am so grateful for sparked by the very simple task of cleaning.

I wish you all a wonderful weekend. Stay safe and well.

I am…

B…simply being…

Love Y’all.

Peace