The Meaning of Washing Dishes

Whats funny about this to me is it reminded me what a little bullheaded kid I was. The first time my Dad asked me to wash dishes.....change "asked" to "told" rather, I cried. I burst into tears as if it was punishment. I washed dishes with tears streaming down my face I was so indignant. I was just a kid. I should be outside playing or watching tv I thought.
Then later as a teen I had joined a dojo for Aikido. What did they make us do after our training was over? We had to put the matts away and CLEAN the floor. I was so upset and thought it was so beneath me. Oh the teacher is just using us so they don't have to pay for a maintenance crew I thought.
Then if my boyfriend didn't wash dishes or help me clean I would get so peeved and tried to make him feel bad about not helping to keep the place clean.
But I noticed something very strange in my 30s. I...dare I say....liked? I kind of liked doing the dishes? I kind of liked doing the dishes, there...I said it. And what's even weirder, I felt kinda peaceful doing them. There was a pleasure in cleaning and purifying the dirtiness and making your little abode back into a proper temple. Order and not chaos. I can almost meditate while washing dishes. I definitely get into what is called "flow". It's the weirdest damn thing but it's true and now I truly laugh when I'm washing dishes and think of myself at 8 years old crying over the sink. Theres a lesson in washing dishes. If you think of what that is let me know. A friend of mine said the lesson is getting a dishwasher. Everyones got jokes.

Purge!

I'm getting ready to move in about a month so the one word that's been repeating itself over and over in my mind is "PURGE!". It's amazing how much paper one person can collect in one tiny drawer alone, let alone a whole apartment. I've been reading some decluttering tips over at zenhabits and I think I've got my motivation on.
Whenever I sit down to watch tv this week I'm going to have a drawer to clean out, papers to tear into bits and a big bag to fill with trash or donation stuff. Just packing away the overflowing cupboard of dishes made me feel light and airy. It's a good feeling. Who needs all this stuff anyway?
Why do I have 7 CVS cards that have not been activated? 5 of the same bus schedule? Receipts from dinner 3 years ago? Why in the world have I been carrying this weight around in my dresser drawers while my clothes have no place to live?
Don't get me started on clothes, which like bunnies have multiplied till one would think a good handful of people live in my apartment as opposed to two and three cats...and they don't like to wear clothes.
So yes, as the seasons change and I get ready for a new habitat I also get ready for new habits and ....that elusive thing called SPACE.
If you also need some motivation to get your decluttering bug fired up- I would hit up Leos blog zenhabits and remember -purge, purge, purge!