Coca Cola Insights

Last night around 11:30 p.m., when I was getting some white tea with mango out of the closet, a can of Coca Cola fell dramatically to the floor and exploded in one hundred million different directions! I was so astonished, that I helplessly watched in horror as the fizzy explosion covered the floor; closet; trash container; chair; my shoes, jeans, shirt, glasses, face, and hair -- just to name a few locations! I, of course, tracked Coca Cola footprints around more of the kitchen before I realized that my shoes were goners too! I had to disrobe in the kitchen, hoping my neighbors had gone to bed, then upstairs for some jammies, then down to the basement for the mop and bucket. Suffice it to say that cleaning up was not a simple job! Just when I thought I was done, more stickiness would appear -- under something, on something-- everywhere. I never knew that 12 oz. could stretch that far! That could be one way to advertise it! "Coke explodes further and faster than 7-Up any day!"

During all this midnight cleaning adventure, I am thinking that there must be some message here, some wisdom that I can take from this late night explosion of soda pop. (Don't mind me, I am usually looking for meaning -- sometimes it's there, sometimes not!) Of course! It's obvious! I should quit drinking Coke, now and forever more! It's not the healthiest beverage ever invented. It is fun to have a nice cold glass on a hot day. Since I don't drink coffee, every once in a while I sneak a Coca Cola into my life. When I was a little girl, my Mom used to take me to the grocery store with her and I got to get a bottle of Coca Cola out of the pop machine first thing. That would last me throughout the entire store. Dare I tell you that my precious bottle of Coke cost 6 cents? (Aha, you caught me, I am in my older youth!) So you can imagine that even though I don't drink Coke very often, the idea of never ever ever drinking it again would be very sad for me. But wait! It took me a while to get to it -- that's not the lesson I figured out!!!!

As I was cleaning the kitchen floor and surrounding areas, the smell of the floor cleaner reminded me of how much I really do love to have a really clean white plastic trash can; and I like a friendly, happy kitchen floor that is an inviting place for my grandsons to play; and I love having friends over to visit and being proud of our home. I do find a lot of satisfaction in cleaning and organizing. I get so caught up with all the "importance" of my outside activities, that I often come home tired and just seeking respite, or I stay up late working at home. As I was wielding that mop and bucket, I found I was not particularly annoyed to have to be doing such a weird clean-up when I was so tired -- once I got into it, I felt happy to love up that trash can, mop that floor, clean up my shoes, etc. I notice that when I am doing housecleaning, or have done it, I feel more grounded. I was doing dishes the other night and understood what monks say about when you get used to doing mindful thinking, even doing the dishes is an act of supreme mindfulness. I was so happy to realize that I had noticed the feel of the water, the sight of the bubbles, the movement of cleaning the dishes and finished with calm satisfaction, sparkling dishes, and a clean sink! Does it get better than that?

So if you ever think of it, please remind me how much I love housecleaning -- it truly is a neglected wellness strategy for me, Here's hoping I can figure out ways to get in good and happy rhythm with it. Now that's I've publicly stated my intentions, I guess I better head on down that hopeful highway!