Life Lessons From Laundry

Last night I wearily began folding the most enormous pile of laundry. I cannot even begin to guess how many loads of laundry I have done over the years. More than can be counted perhaps.

Laundry! Oh the amounts a family of 5 can create!!

I don't remember being scolded for getting dirty as a kid. I remember shock and amazement at how messy I was.  We decided to never get upset with our kids for having adventures and coming home messy. In fact, we encouraged puddle jumping and mud hunts. I remember a few spectacular moments going to see what the commotion at the back door was about only to find sweet faces flushed from exploring and pride at how they wore the evidence of their misadventures. Shooing them into the backyard to hose down before coming in the house.

As I attacked my load (loads) of laundry I remembered how it used to bore me out of my mind. How I resented the mundane regularity of the task. How little hands used to help me sort and fold as best they could.

Laundry has taught me a few things over the years.

1. Be present- We have all sorted in a hurry and had that red sock Make our whites pink. Or gone down to switch the loads and forgot to pull that sweater out to hang. The frustration of finding it shrunk and ruined.
2. Plan ahead- We have all had a Friday when getting ready to go out we are gazing at our closet thinking, where are those jeans that look great with that top? Oh yeah, I spilled coffee on them on Wednesday and forgot to wash them...
3. Delegate- Part of being a family or working on a team means we all do our part. Having responsibility gives us connection, purpose, and confidence that we matter and are significant. I do my part you do yours. Seeing kids take on the responsibility and gain these important attributes is pretty sweet.
4. Things don't always make sense.
   
    Socks. I buy equal numbers, wear them in pairs. There is always a conundrum with socks. I may just ask if I can see a time lapse from the perspective of my socks when I see God, I am curious. I just cannot figure this out!  I even have a kid's book written (well in my head) to explain it. Yeah, I think that much about it. Please don't make any conclusions about me that are irreversible.
5. Slow down- I used to resent having to stop and go sort or fold laundry. I have learned over the years to enjoy the time to slow down and focus on the task. It calms me in a way.
6. Don't procrastinate- if you don't get it done you end up at the Chiropractor in shabby undergarments. Not cool!
7. Learn to enjoy the rhythm. The sun rises and sets predictably, we eat 3 meals a day,  the laundry needs to be washed weekly. I am a finisher, as soon as you are done laundry, there are clothes in the hamper. This can be hard for a finisher. I had to focus on the rhythms of life that give stability. If the rhythm of life is driving me crazy, I need a holiday. As I pay attention to the rhythm of my need for a holiday, I can predict how a calendar year should look.
   
8. A little goes a long way. I don't look at the huge pile. It overwhelms me and I feel I will be folding laundry for forever. I would rather play. Instead, I grab a handful, put it in front of me and fold it. Done! Grab another handful. All of a sudden I am done and I can go do something I like. Breaking a task down into manageable bites makes all the difference and I am rewarded multiple times as a finisher. Instead of finishing one load, I celebrated 10 finishes for one load.
   
   
9. Men do it differently and that is OK. In the desire to lighten my workload once in a while Craig will insist on looking after it. He sorts differently, folds differently. I quickly go through and pull out anything that needs special attention and hide it (don't tell him ok?) If I am not around, then we just deal. Men do things differently and it is good. If we all thought and did things the same it would be mundane, boring and in the end, we would miss the magic of trying to figure each other out.
10. Think of others. The day I heard my son say "This load is too small. Does anyone have jeans that need washing?" Was one of those days when a Mom's heart swells with inexplicable emotion. He was not only thinking practically if he had, he would have just thrown other darks in to make the load sufficient in size. Instead, he thought of his family. Sweet!!! In so many ways and on so many levels❤️

Those are a few of life's lessons I have learned from the laundry. What are your life lessons from laundry? I want to hear them!