Important chores

It was my job to rake leaves into piles and scoop them into these cool paper bags. Even though the tree is still full of leaves, this was the chore that needed to be done. Today it looks like I never filled 5 bags. Leaves have re carpeted the ground. Is this a metaphor for life?

I enjoyed being outside on a crisp sunny day. I might like raking leaves. The yard looked great for the rest of the afternoon. G mowed for the last time this year and drained the oil from the mower (things I never knew that have to be done). The grass looks healthier than it did in the hot summer. I think the leaves look beautiful, especially the bright red and orange ones against the green green grass. I found this activity to be lovely, cue the music, oh wait this isn’t Hollywood…

I kind of like some of these seemingly mundane tasks. So purposeful in their own kind of way. Such a contrast to the creative thinking, creative make it up and do it once, reinvent the wheel every time, world I live in in my head.

I’m intrigued by how important chores are. How do some things get to be important while other things get to be unimportant? How is that all decided?

I believe these moments are teaching me some things. Life can be beautiful in so many different ways truly, but easy from my spectator seat to say. I can’t imagine doing this repeatedly for days and days until ALL the leaves fall down. The tree is big! It looks like thirty of those cool paper bags worth at least. How awesome would I be finding this activity in ten degree weather with the wind blowing and no sun shining ? Will I be as willing to volunteer as the season creeps toward winter?

Perspective. I feel like a beginner here. I used to think I knew things, but I really don’t know much at all (its okay, I’m teachable)) I wonder if it’s its that I didn’t know there were so many variables until now. So many ways to live and experience life. I love that. I love that it’s not really how we spend our time so much as how we feel about how we do.

Doing important chores, dashing to yoga class, shopping for gifts, making art, baking some apple crisp. All of our doings get to be what we want them to be because they are what make up our life. It’s ours so we can also choose where importance falls.