Peace in Small Matters

Life has been hectic lately. Camille is moving out of her apartment, and that whole ordeal came with a lot of stressful breakdowns and challenging conversations. Track hasn’t been going as planned, so I’m having to work extra hard to get to where I want to be. School isn’t terribly busy yet, but it’ll get busy in a matter of weeks. Life is moving fast. That’s why I’ve been slowing down to savor the mundane.

Cooking and washing dishes are two of my favorite activities. I love trying new meals, blending flavors, and feeling the gratitude of each bite that I helped to create. Practical things like learning how to cook with spaghetti squash (and no red sauce) as well as what to eat with shrimp make me excited. And then, when the kitchen is messy, I like manifesting order out of chaos and clean every dish with soapy fervor, setting each in its rightful place on the drying rack.

I find tremendous joy in these simple matters. Slowing down to feel the suds pass through my fingers and the steam rise up my forearm turn me into a poet. They bring me peace in hectic times, and they will always be there for me when I want to experience them. Whenever I worry about school or fear running a race, I can place myself in the moment and scrub: cups first, then forks and knives, then the big stuff…slow and orderly — make it last.

Make it last.