Washing the Dishes

What I love most about Thich Nhat Hanh’s writing is how he can take a very simple image and make such a powerful point.  We are now reading this book in my meditation group and every week I go home with something to ponder.

Last night the reading was about washing the dishes while washing the dishes.  That sounds silly I know.  But his point was that we go through so much of life without paying attention to what we are doing because our minds are either on the past or the future.  This can be especially true of repetitive tasks like washing the dishes.  He made the point that he would never opt for an electric dishwasher because it would take away the time he devotes to washing the dishes after each meal.

I’m guilty of so many offenses in this regard.  However, there is one thing I do every morning that gives me great pleasure.  I carefully section a grapefruit and an orange that I relish as part of my breakfast.  I could juice them much faster or even purchase the juice to drink.  But somehow this ritual of using the grapefruit knife is grounding and affirming and the end result is the highlight of my breakfast.

I will probably pay more attention over the next few days to the small things I often do without thinking.  But inevitably they will slip back into their routines and my mindfulness will be replaced with the mental gyrations that often predominate my day.