Being with a newborn can often be super fun and rewarding and at other times it can be incredibly boring. There’s not a whole lot of interaction happening yet but there is a lot of extra laundry and additional housework because we’re home more often. But in the moments when I’m thinking I might go crazy if I have to wash the poop out of one more diaper, I remember something I learned from Thich Nhat Hanh’s book “Peace is Every Step”. Every mundane moment of our lives is an opportunity to be present and enjoy life.
I want to say that again, because I think it bears repeating. Every moment of our lives is an opportunity to be present and enjoy life. That means that at every stop-light, every time we’re waiting in line at the store, and during every load of laundry we are given a gift. The opportunity to enjoy the moment is always there.
As I was reading Peace is Every Step, I read a particular passage about dishes. At the time I HATED doing dishes. I avoided them, pushed them off on my boyfriend or housemate, and if I was forced to do dishes I grumbled and cursed my way through the experience. I was definitely NOT enjoying any part of the experience.
But then I read Thich Nhat Hanh’s words about enjoying the warm soapy water and mindfully washing each dish with care and a switch flipped inside me. Continue reading “Finding joy in the mundane”