Today I have to clean the carpet upstairs. I tried to clean the vomit stains from the dog but you can still see a trace of green. The stain from the spilled root beer is still there by my bedroom door, and the cat vomit stains haven’t come out either. There is mud from shoes by the front door, the sink is full of dishes, again, and there are eight or nine loads of laundry by the laundry room door.
I hate cleaning.
Dishes in the sink frustrate me, a basket full of laundry makes me sad, and cleaning the seven litter boxes gets tiring.
What is my problem?
I know. At least I think I know. I forgot that life is messy. I forgot that the things we love make messes. To cook something in the kitchen means there will be pots to wash. To have a cat to cuddle means their will be litter boxes and vomited hair balls to clean. Having clothes to wear means they will get dirty. I will have to do laundry.
My expectations of life are not accurate.
I forgot about the mess. I forgot:
Life is messy.
Today I will be grateful for the people who track in mud on their shoes. I will be thankful for Martha our dog, and for our four cats, Pooh, Charlie, Nepeta and JR. I will be thankful for the dishes I have to eat on and for the food I eat. I will be thankful for the clothes I wear and the washing machine I have to wash the clothes in.
Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.
― William Arthur Ward
I will change my attitude into one of gratitude. I want to be joyful as I do my routine jobs. Life is messy and that’s okay.
