Some things stick with you after childhood. Momma didnt raise no slob. There's just no sense in doing something if you arent going to do it well. Clean is something that cant be mistaken for anything else. It has a brilliance and gleem. It has an orderliness and percision. It outshines its surroundings because of itself. You can spot a clean person a mile away. True cleanliness finds a way to boil over into every aspect of a life. It cannot be cornered to just one little corner...it wont be satisfied. This blog comes after someone at the office asked me why I was mopping the floor. "This isnt your home" was the statement; my response, "so long as it has my name on the the job, it is. The floor was dirty." Why would I wait for someone else to do what was necessary to be done now. Why wouldnt we treat our surroundings as our own and take care of them. What does it take for someone not to have to be told to do what is obviously needed. My daddy once said, "you aint grown just because you're big. You're grown when you do what needs to be done without being told, when you think for and beyond yourself, then you'll be grown..." He's a genius when it comes to commonsense things!
The older I get the more fanatic I seem to be about washing my hands. I watched the Aviator and grew slightly concerned. I shake a lot of hands; but I absolutely MUST wash my hands before eating no matter how much of a disruption if might cause. That goes without saying any of the other important times to wash your hands. I am also not persuaded by merely a clean smell. Smell can be faked when it comes to clean. My cleaning lady does a great job; but I can help but think I would prefer to do it all myself. Then I KNOW. I confess it feels great coming home to a clean house but I love cleaning and seeing the dirt go away and where it accumulates and how much there is....strange I know. Yes, its hard work and I am grateful for not having to do it myself; but I have no quams about working hard and claiming my responsibilities.
In spite of that last statement; we can all think of times or aquaintances who are really good in a particular area; but everything else just goes to pot. Some of us are really good a our professional disciplines but have none when it comes to our personal or daily lives or families. Its funny how a drop in the ocean doesnt change the whole ocean despite the theories of ripple effects. One thing is for sure...we can make our drop as potient as possible by making it as pure as possible.
Sure everything that looks gold aint; but gold doesnt shine like aluminum [ok...I have no idea where that came from but there wasnt any return address]. Little things count and little things matter a lot. For instance: a blind grandparent still showing up at your gymnastic competition — he may not be able to see you; but the impact of his presence will shine for generations to come.
I am convinced that you cant save the world. The world doesnt want to be saved. BUT; there are those everyday that just need a nudge or smile to go on breathing, hoping and maybe even just for an excuse to endure one more day on this lucky mud in space that they encounter someone else who is equally broken but not in the same way to lend a hand.
You cant hide clean. You cant bottle love. Who can capture the wind? In our purest forms, we are magnificently great and horribly terrifying...but its our choice. Think about all the things we go to great lengths to hide; then think of the things that we never even considered hiding. What cloaks do we use to conceal if not smiles, happiness, love, posessions, money, etc.?
Clean must be pretty important! Its referred to many times and done by some of the greatest people in history.
No comments:
Post a Comment