So it was with a bit of trepidation that I welcomed the new maid who landed up one morning in January to take the old one’s place. The new lady is quiet, goes about her tasks dutifully but did seem a bit alarmed at the idea of doing laundry. Not wishing to lose good hired help, it fell to my lot to go back to doing laundry, a task my other maid had been doing for all this time.
At first, I resented the fact that I was losing a good chunk of time doing laundry when I could be so much more productive with other things. Slowly, though, I began to embrace it the way I used to, before I had handed the reins of this job over to another person.
This week alone, I’ve found it very helpful with two things: Dealing with being part of the sandwich generation and coming to terms with who I am as a person/writer/blogger.
It’s a known fact that as parents, we’re supposed to be the strong ones, for our kids’ sake. After a while, it’s almost as if we’re responding on auto-pilot when they need a hug or a kiss to make things better for them, because we’ve grown into that role of the caregiver who knows what to say or do. What happens, though, when a parent exhibits frailty?
My mom, one of the strongest people I know, emotionally and otherwise, called me yesterday and from the sound of her voice, I knew she was choking back tears. The ‘maternal’ instinct woke up inside me and I asked what was wrong. Turns out she had a terrible toothache and the pain was more than she could bear. The painkillers weren’t helping either. It was all I could do to not grab my keys and start the 30 km drive over to her place, but she’d anticipated that and assured me that she’d be fine.
I just wanted to hear your voice, she sniffed. My mom.
Wait a minute. I’m supposed to say that! Not her! Yet, here I was, a woman 20 years younger donning the role of caretaker. After the first instinct of worry dissipated, I soothed her, told her to try and lie down, maybe apply some clove oil if she had any and call/message me again if the pain didn’t die down.
After this, I pulled out the stack of clean laundry and proceeded to fold each piece of clothing. As I did, my mind calmed down from the fluttering state it had inhabited and infused me with a deeper understanding of an important truth.
*Featured image and pinnable image courtesy: Shutterstock
😉 Now you know why I love housework! Instant gratification, keeps you sane and centered and ready to pour love over the folks who seek you out. Hugs! Stay blessed, Shailaja!
It's amazing, isn't it? How sometimes the most mundane of chores helps us be in the zone, so to speak. I usually have such moment when doing the laundry too. Though folding clothes isn't really on my priority list, I get the gist 🙂
Stay happy, Shailaja. Always.
I know what you mean, Vidya. Love is so beautiful when shared and when it comes from the depth of our being- unfettered and free. Sanity is necessary in the world today and I hope I am always grateful for that. Always.
Thank you, Sid 🙂 Yes, I have been reading more and more on the subject of happiness and mindfulness and although none of it is very new to me as such, it is a pleasure to savour the moments as we grow older- even the mundane ones.
We experience creativity in simplest of tasks. But we tend to ignore such fulfilling moments as routine ones!
I am definitely not zen enough to come around to this way of thinking yet Shailaja ;).. will persevere!
I know what you mean, Sibi! I find that some of my best ideas- for writing or anything else- comes from a space of quiet contemplation. So it's certainly the fount of creativity. And the routine moments do so much for us! Thank you so much for stopping by. I really appreciate it.
Come on. I know it feels that way because of no maid at all right now but it will happen 😉 Also, the Happiness Project is helping me terrifically! I can't thank you enough for pointing me in its direction.
I agree with you, Shailaja.
Nice when emotions get expressed, even by mundane or simple acts! Relief 🙂
I think these mundane tasks help us in staying control, so what it is just laundry or washing dishes! I read articles o why it is important for all women to be working and achieving best career woman awards, thus securing happiness and showing children how to be. But your post Shailaja, so simple and yet powerful. If we can teach our kids to find happiness and clear mind by doing an everyday, mundane task like laundry, then no doubt, they have got the best resource at hand. This moment, this post made me happy. And I owe it to you, Shailaja. 🙂
I'll begin by saying that I hate housework, specially laundry or anything to do with clothes (other than wearing them of course!). I find it mindless and mundane and unending. Your post made me think though – maybe if I become mindful about the tasks, I would't dislike them so much and maybe even feel happy doing them. Maybe. But I'll take forever being as zen about them as you are.
I do not what the 'ideal of the ideal blogger' is, perhaps writing a million troika of broken sentences which they would rather call Hi, coo! (or is that haiku?) and getting a zillion thumbs up day after day? Looking back to my unmarried days when I would cook quick travesties of meals, or iron out a pair of trouser or so, I can relate to the feeling. My mother who is a loner now that her partner smiles serenely from a wall, keeps calling me about a wide range of maladies that haunt her, from a toothache to a palpitating heart. Somehow you reminded me of all that. Mercifully, you have also spared me the line about Tata Zica car which I've been classically conditioned to look for at the end of the posts packed like sardines in Indivine.
Housework does not work for me. For some reason never liked it. Cleaning, dusting, laundry all of them I detest. God bless the washing machine. I do fold the clothes. Have always done so. I guess it is my workout, my cooking, reading, writing that give me an instant perk up. And yes, chatting with Coco and hugging him. He is the guy who gives you undivided attention. It is always the smallest things that give the biggest joys.
Honestly I used to detest house work and would do it for the sake of it (no option in this side of the planet) But upon entering midlife I enjoy it since its the time I give attention to my thoughts along with the chores. Amazing when the body is doing a repetitive work how we can focus upon thy mind!
Hope your mom is doing better!
Ooohhh, I do miss household help from my time in India…. Here in Europe we have to manage on our own:-( Oh well…. And that ideal .- whatever it si ideal mum, ideal blogger, whatever – ditch her … YOU are good enough.Always have been. Always will be.Hugs, dear Shailaja:-) Stay blessed sweetie:-)
Thank you Anita. It's the mundane tasks that make me happy, I've realised 🙂
I think any task that can help them stay relaxed and happy will win in my book. Thanks Vinitha 🙂
Read the 'Happiness Project' by Gretchen Reubin. You'll understand why I find laundry mindful now 🙂
I am so sorry to hear about your mom. Loss is very hard and I cannot imagine the loneliness she must be experiencing 🙁 I think the beauty of blogging is the way it brings diverse people on to the same page.
As for the Tata Zica car, I really have not followed the thread on that topic 😉
Thank you so much for reading and your valuable comments, Umashankar. Much appreciated.
Actually I think I developed a fondness for housework watching my dad. He took great pride in putting things way, cleaning and folding laundry. He can fold sheets, towels, sarees and pretty much anything like a pro. I am a lot like him- organised, quiet and speak only when I have something to share. So I suppose this works for me. The smallest things and how much they give us. I absolutely adore that.
Sigh, I know what you mean. Looking at it as a way to improve mindfulness has helped me tremendously 🙂 She is doing fine now, thank you for asking 🙂
I suppose it must be difficult to do it all after getting used to it here, Eli 🙂 Completely understand. Thank you for all your support, always 🙂
If there is one thing I love about housework is putting things back in its proper place. It is so mundane that you can actually calm and focus your mind. I cherish the 10/15 min that I get between my husband leaving for work and my kid getting up for school, the time when everything is quiet and me going about picking things off the floor, putting the pens back in the holder etc etc. I have been part of that “sandwich generation” for over 10 years and those 10-15 uninterrupted minutes each day are very important for a calmer me so i can mother a 70 yr old and a 9 yr old.
Oh I can so completely relate to that feeling of quiet when I get to clean up and put things away. You've said it so well! I love mundane tasks for this reason.It's also why I am a bit of a homebody and don't really cherish late nights out or partying much. Never could make myself love those things. Guess that's just me 🙂 9 year old here too so I know what you mean 🙂
Yes, doing housework mindfully or for that matter anything mindfully relaxing us in a lot of ways. I recently read this book called 'Mindfullness in Plain English' by Bhante Gunaratna. I can confidently say that it's a great book which helped me change in positive ways. As far as parents being strong, actually I think a little different. I decided to show my grief to my son when my dad died. I thought this would be a good way for him to embrace that we parents, are human and not super-human and it's okay to be not so strong all the time.
You know Shailaja, this reminds of my granny, who lived on her own well past 80. Her life was a time table. Clockwork. Getting up at 5.. Making her bed, having her coffee, washing her own clothes, and all the other household chores. Life went on so peacefully and she never really complained… She even had a particular time to watch TV. What may seem mundane was her way of living her remaining days of her life..
I totally agree here Shailaja. I slowly gave up my daily chores like the one you mentioned on the repeated insists of my family to lessen my burden. Eventually I found myself unable to handle the simplest of chores in the maid's absence. At tines when she took a two day break….clothes would pile up like a mountain. That's when I decided to chuck help for little chores and start doing 'em myself. It is an infinitely calming activity….one that I couple with calls to my mum….I hardly realize when the work gets done. A lovely read!
Hi Shailaja, The question that got my immediate attention is where you stated: What happens, though, when a parent exhibits frailty?”
Where you said, “Wait a minute. I'm supposed to say that! Not her! Yet, here I was, a woman 20 years younger donning the role of caretaker.”
I can so connect to that….something deep within crumbles within you the first time it happens and then you find that there is a strength within you to take charge of the situation. It's just that we didn't realize it before, till life triggers a situation that leads us towards it.
Great Shailaja !!! I love folding laundries … now I understand why I get calmer after doing that …. 🙂 🙂 🙂
Those lil' things!! Surprisingly I went through the same set of emotions today. My parents hasn't called up till now to wish me (It's my b'day according to the star). They have forgotten for the first time and I was pretty sad. I was folding a pile of clean clothes which was lying in one corner since two days and began contemplating. It's okay, right? It would have just slipped from their mind. 🙂
That's a book I'd like to read, Asha! Oh we're very open with death as far as Gy is concerned. She knows when I'm in pain, I cry openly and she knows it's fine to be expressive
There's a comfort in routine that nothing else accords us. It's humbling and keeps us grounded in reality.
Thanks Kala. I usually play music when doing mundane chores. Uplifting for the mood too. Thank you for reading 🙂
Completely understand where you come from, Swapna. It's unsettling and makes you pause. Sigh.
Good to hear that, Vasantha 🙂
I replied on Twitter. Hope things worked out, Shalu. Hugs 🙂
Folding laundry has its own rewards.Mainly,a calm mind which thinks about nothing else but the laundry in front of you.Now I think about the countless times I have folded laundry! I am really a Buddha when it comes to laundry folding and mental peace.
Folding laundry is the task I do first thing in the morning on the terrace with no one else in sight. My me time. It does help in making us calm and listen to our inner-most thoughts and feelings. My house help is unwell and has been on leave for nearly three days now which has given me lots of household tasks to complete and lots of time to talk to myself. I hope your Mom is better now and that her pain is gone.
I love folding my laundry because it gives me time to reflect on just about everything going on in my life at that moment. We’re always so engrossed or distracted that we hardly have any time to recount our actions. I love that time for myself 🙂
You are happy and that is all that matters after all. To be happy in whatever place we are at. Always love reading on how you find meaning in ordinary tasks. But I doubt if I will ever find peace in folding clothes.. I am always in a hurry to complete that one extra chore.
Hope the toothache is gone now.
Sandwich generation – now that’s a new term ai learnt. Initially I thought it refers to the new generation who survive of sandwiches how dumb can I be!
Reading this again makes even more sense. This will stay with me as a takeaway. That since I will always have to take care of two sets of people, my parents and my children, it is very important that I maintain my sanity by adapting mindfulness. Can’t tell you how important this is for me since I deal with absolutely crazy people. Sometimes I wonder if I am the only crazy one.
Folding laundry, or putting away washed utensils does that to me, too. The sense of calm that envelopes me makes me feel refreshed by the end of it all, like I have achieved Nirvana!
I find housework, chore and can’t really enjoy but I do get your point. Sometimes, mundane things are like a mirror. They reflect a myriad of thoughts that run in our heads. When that happens, I love how calm and blissful everything feels.
Great post, Shailaja!