Today, I Shall Dust

My eyes popped open at 6:51 A.M. Should I? Or shouldn’t I--get up? It wasn’t all that long ago I relished awakening at five in the morning with a sense of optimism and adventure. I’m heading toward seventy-nine, with the big 8-0 just around the corner. With that hanging around, or perhaps--over my head, I felt I didn’t want to miss out on anything. Time has a different feel at this stage in life than, say, ten years ago when I was in my sixties.

Recently, though, that get-up-and-go feeling has been replaced with a reluctance to meet the day. The days have been stretching out endlessly before me, with no real sense of purpose since I retired, and my partner passed.

I crawled out from under the covers and, as I’ve done for years, made the bed so it was over-and-done-with. I headed for the kitchen, heated my tea water, and began steeping my early morning cup of green tea.

What am I going to do for the rest of the day?

Sadness over loss and death sat at the periphery of my being. Enough! I’m not going to host another pity party. I’m tired of wallowing in my emotions. Today seemed as good as any to take a step forward.

My tea was ready, and I sat in my rocker, perusing social media. Quietly. Very quietly. The thought entered my mind and sat there, awaiting my response: Today, I shall dust. Lord knows how much that task has been neglected. There was the answer to my question. I asked, didn’t I?

Today, I shall dust. And there is every possibility that will lead to another step…and another and another. There are those who say “Cleanliness is next to Godliness.” I think He just wants me to get off my patooty and stop feeling sorry for myself. He is practical like that.

If you will please excuse me now. I need to eat some breakfast, get dressed, and drag out my dust cloths, some rags and hot, soapy water. Today, I shall dust. Tomorrow I might even vacuum or wash windows.

This plan of action doesn’t fall into the category of going forth and conquering the world. And it isn’t part of a grand strategy for living out the rest of my days. But the point is: I am being nudged back into living life. Granted, it’s different from the former one I was used to. But it’s starting with a good dusting in my home. God has a way of making things happen.