Sunday, January 16, 2011

the Parable of the Laundry

I shared this insight today in Relief Society and decided it needed to be posted :)




When JT and I got married we were both working full time and I was doing hair out to the house and he was going to school. We were both really busy. But we still naturally went towards our own "roles".

(JT would get the cars washed- I would do the Laundry)
Laundry had never really bothered me before. But now that I was sorting another persons' socks on top of my own- I became resentful of my "role".


(important side note: JT did NOT inflict this role on me- I just assumed the role knowing that it seemed like the "Wifey" thing to do)


I found myself Envious of him when he opened his dresser to Magically find Freshly Folded Clothes just waiting to be warn and tossed in the bin. I wondered how is would FEEL to be a Guy and to have this Royal Service right in your own home. To never have to think about changing the laundry at 11:00pm at night or to fold and put away clothes with Mind Numbing "Ground Hog's Day" repetitiveness. (that movie stresses me out and has been a fear of mine in many other areas besides Laundry...) How could men be SO lucky??


For 6 years this has floated in the back of my mind.


(Don't get me wrong - I do feel GOOD DOING my job. I do recognize that it is part of my Job-Description as Co- C.E.O of the Tyler Household. And I am grateful (as was pointed out to me in Relief Society today) for the Front Loader Washing Machine that I have, and the dryer (that I missed every single time I put on crispy air dried clothes on my mission). Yes, I DID just insert parenthesis INSIDE of parenthesis!!)



BUT finally the other day- as I SWEPT my DEBIT CARD through the machine at the Fred Meyer it hit me.


MAGIC.


Here I was spending Money that I did not make.


I did not wake up at 5;30 in the evening to go to work all night in a crazy E.R., I did not show dozens of houses to clients in the pouring rain, I was not exhausted from dealing with a boss, co-workers, and patients that were driving me nuts. In fact-The I LOVE my little "worker bees"! In fact, they are the reason I LOVE being the C.E.O.


So how did this Money MAGICALLY APPEAR in my bank account making it possible for me to buy our family Groceries, Hot Wheels, and Ghetto Grocery Store Mascara (yes, I am still trying to find a good one). This magical money that allows me to go out for Girl's Nights, ice cream cones with my kids, and sometimes a Well-Deserved Caffeine Free Frappucino! (because, that Folding Laundry is tough work!)


So here it is:
The Parable of the Laundry.


Thank you, Babe. Thank you for working hard for our family so that I can work hard at home. Thank you for doing things in your job that are not pleasant so that I can enjoy mine more fully. Thank you for NEVER ONCE teaching ME this parable by complaining about the money you make and I spend. Thank you for "magically" making things happen.

Now, go check the closet-- there is a surprise waiting for you!

5 comments:

  1. Katie!!! I've never thought about it like that and I'm so incredibly grateful you realized this. I have always been the SAME way with the laundry, totally and completely envious that Chris' clean clothes magically appear in his closet, courtesy of me. I've thought so many times how awesome it would be to have a housewife of my own. :) Never really thought about how so many people would kill for a money-making husband like I have. That's just awesome.

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  2. I love this. I have often felt these same feelings. Thanks for reminding me that it's truly a partnership--and that my purpose is a helpmeet--and not a maid. :)

    P.S. Have you tried Cover Girl Lash Blast? The one in the orange tube. It's my favorite EVER.

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  3. I love this! It is so true and I totally needed to hear it. And I hope you will be glad to know...I am ready for waxing party! My friend Trisha wants to do it with me, give me a call or shoot me an email!

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  4. Thank you so much for sharing this. It helped me reset my point of view.

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  5. Katie, THANKS for being inspired! And thanks for sharing it in RS - I was worried that I might have offended you by bringing up the washing machine :/ but please KNOW that I would never want to do that. And you are SO "spot on" with the dilemma of wanting to serve your family, yet feeling too much like a servant sometimes. I'd like to say it works out, but relationships are always WORK. Enjoy the journey (anyway) :)

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