Friday's my day off. It's a glorious day today in Western Norther Carolina. What shall I do?
Chores.
I'd rather hike. Or read. Or learn how to use a new photo-editing app.
So...instead, maybe I should just hurry and get the 'necessary' stuff out of the way and then enjoy the 'good' stuff? What would you say to me about that?
What I often do on Friday's is to take the time I'd spend in formal meditation and commit to being mindful in chores. I'm reasonably lousy at it, but even as random as I am in coming into Presence in chore moments, it makes a real difference.
My main goal is to notice when I'm caught in wanting to get 'this' out of the way in order to get to 'that.' To pause. Chuckle. Breathe. Smile. Feel the broom or the hoe in my hand. Thank God for brooms and hoes and hands. Feel my feet on the floor or on the Earth. Catch a glimpse of how ironic it is to be wishing away any of my time on the Earth.
In five minutes (or less) I'll be doing this wishing-away again. At the first 'notice' that frustration is rising up, that I'm judging and begrudging my resistance to something as necessary as chores--those lovely contemplative habits will kick in again, and "I" will let these thoughts "go." And they will.
And then, if I'm lucky, I'll forget all about contemplative habits and resistance and judgment and once again take up my vacuum cleaner and follow Jesus ;-)
