Tag: Cleaning

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Distractions

“A good library will never be too neat, or too dusty, because somebody will always be in it, taking books off the shelves and staying up late reading them.” 

― Lemony Snicket, Horseradish

Today, I discovered why I have a problem cleaning my office.

Other than the fact I work better with some disorganization to my work area, I realized the problems begin with the first step of my cleaning process–putting away the books on my desk.

This initial step starts a cascade of stumbling blocks, each one creating its own level of distraction.

Before putting things away, I need to sort the books on my desk, creating the first of many decision points. Am I done with this book or do I want to grab more quotes? Once the decision is made, I search for an empty space on the shelves…pushing the book into the tight space, I spy a book I’ve been looking for and have on my list to read in the next week…grabbing that book and starting a new stack on my desk my eyes flash onto another book needed for quotes I want to put in a card this week…with that thought my mind jumps to maximum attention—where is that card?…that nagging question nibbles at my thought process as I scan the shelves, realizing I will have to redo at least one shelf in order to put books away…as my eyes roll upward there is movement outside the office window. It’s our mail person…

The list of distractions goes on and on…my desk is less organized now than it was when I started.

I may not have achieved all I wanted but I did succeed in finding a prayer to share today.

I’d read this prayer written by Thomas Merton years ago. At the time I was comforted by the fact even Merton felt lost and uncertain at times. Today when I picked up my, The Little Book of Prayers, it magically opened to the prayer I’d hoped to find.

Ya gotta smile.

My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself and the fact that I think that I am following Your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please You does in fact please You. And I hope that I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this, You will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it. Therefore I will trust You always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for You are ever with me, and You will never leave me to face my perils alone.   ~Thomas Merton

I am…

B…simply being.

~Peace~

 

 

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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