Whoever invented white carpet didn’t have children or a dog

 

Our house has white carpet. We have three children, one dog, one cat, two birds and one fish.

This year, I had skin cancer, my husband was hospitalized twice for elbow surgery and he got laid off.  Through all of the  trials of  this year I did not despair. Today I felt deep despair. I realized my white carpet had become a brown carpet.

I picked up the clear plastic  pad  that was under an office chair. Underneath the protector the carpet was white. The carpet that was not covered was chocolate-brown.  My spirit  was crushed.  The transformation of my white carpet  was subtle over time.  I didn’t notice the dust sneaking in on the bottom of shoes.

We don’t  ask people to take off their shoes at the front door  and our dog Martha doesn’t wear shoes.

I will not despair. God is close to the broken-hearted and I have a plan. I will make a list.

Four ways to heal the emotional pain from the loss of my white carpet.

1. Cover the places where the carpet is still white with dirt so the carpet is uniformly brown
2. Hire a doorman to stand at the door with a whip to make people remove shoes upon entry.
3.  Install a electronic force field to repel people who don’t remove their shoes.
4. Accept the fact that dirt happens.
5. Clean the carpets

I will go with numbers 4 and 5. I can’t afford to hire someone to stand at the door with a whip, and the electronic force  field would increase our electric bill.  Dust is really only dirt. Dirt is an essential part of life. Plants grow in dirt. The earth is mostly made of dirt and brown is a nice color.

Please come and visit me. I will greet you with open arms and a big hug. I will only ask you to take off your shoes if you walked in a mud puddle.

I will not despair. And I will rent a rug shampooer.