The weather here in Chicago has mirrored the typical Midwest winters of years before. Cold, but with a fresh blanket of snow just often enough to help you forget that we're in the bitter, cold city and not the winter wonderland of a child's dreams.
With the snow, comes the ever-dreaded chore of shoveling. It's always fun the first time, but by the end of January it becomes another chore that the members of the household try to pass around like the last unwanted bite of dessert after a filling meal. "You do it, I did it last time," we say in our most convincing tone. Oh, the dreaded shoveling.
Yesterday morning was my turn; not that anyone's been keeping track anymore. I was stuck with the job and determined to enjoy it. Of course, I "just knew" that the kids didn't put the shovel back where it belonged. One glance at its designated corner told me I was right. Ok, well doesn't this make matters worse? I felt the aggitation beginning to churn as I combed the garage for the shovel so that I could do the chore that I least wanted to do. I went through my mental checklist of who might be the culprit and what ridiculous place I might find the shovel. I just knew it wasn't anywhere in the garage and I sure didn't see it anywhere. Well, who needs a shoveled sidewalk anyway? We only have about 2 more months of winter and we're bound to see a warm spell sooner or later. Nope, there will be no shoveling today - but boy was I aggravated (and secretly relieved).
The incident soon forgotten, I went on with my day. That is, until the girls came home from work and I had the opportunity to jump on the burning question. "Where in the world did you guys leave the shovel?" I couldn't wait for this answer. After all, why would you need to bring it indoors? It's certainly buried in the snow, useless and rusting. Well, wasn't I surprised to learn that they had actually hung the shovel on a peg right there in the garage, in a very logical place after all.
Hummm, this took some processing. I looked everywhere, I know I did. Soon, I realized that I didn't want to shovel the sidewalk AND I went into the garage with the anticipation of being unable to find the shovel because the girls never put anything back where it belongs. (Well, except for this one time).
Preconceived notions; illusions created by a strong-willed mind. Call it what you will, but I certainly learned from this reminder of how powerful the mind truly is. Going into our tasks without judgment or negative expectation is critical to success and peace of mind. I know that had I seen the shovel I would have enjoyed the task of communing with mother nature - and I would have felt a sense of accomplishment for the exercise and feeling of completion. I deprived myself of this because I had judged the circumstances and therefore blinded myself to the obvious. Thankfully, this time it resulted only in a case of unshoveled snow.
What kinds of things do you close your eyes to - or judge? Remember the mood that results when we judge. Wouldn't life be more pleasant and simple if we could just allow?
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