symmetry- the quality of being made up of exactly similar parts facing each other.
There is a certain symmetry in a day's events, an effortless flow {if you will} that I notice sometimes when I am allowing
myself to go with the flow. Things seem to line up
just so, in a way that makes me pause and notice how easy things can
be sometimes. During these times, for whatever reason, I've stopped pushing at myself to do what I
should do or what would be
better. I'm not rushing (unless, of course, that *is* the flow). And I'm paying attention to the voice that says, for instance, don't put in that last load of laundry just yet {even though that is clearly what
should be done. after all, if i did that last load now, I would be that much closer to finishing the laundry. again.}
This happened today and I thought the series of events I went through (participated in) illustrates so well this type of ordinary/extraordinary flow I am thinking of-
Eva is sick. She was on the couch resting and I went into the laundry room to put the load of sheets that had just finished being washed into the dryer. I paused, thinking wistfully of being able to hang the sheets out to dry because of the recent warm weather and sunshine and then bit the bullet and put them in the dryer because I don't currently have a working clothesline large enough for the sheets and because I didn't want the sheets to mildew while they waited for me to figure one up. (Mildew being something that can happen in a very short time in Oregon. Even in the summer.)
I left the last load that was in the dryer- a mixed load of towels and dish cloths- on the floor next to the dryer and opted to not fold them just yet. Then I looked at the next load of clothes that was ready to be put into the washer, and for some reason, decided I wasn't going to wash them just yet {either}. I told myself to just finish up what was started right now and to not add to what was already going on with another load of laundry. This is something I might dismiss normally, what with the allure of being done with the laundry {again} hovering over the room. But I went with it and left the washer empty without adding another load.
And then, about an hour later, Eva started throwing up. She threw up several times, all over the carpet in the hallway. After she had finished and I had gotten her settled, I went back to clean things up and it was like it was all set up for the occasion. There were the towels, still on the floor near the dryer, just right for cleaning up (no need to have been folded...) and an empty washer just waiting for me to throw the towels into. And it was so easy. There was no extra load of laundry to deal with in the washer and there was no fishing about in drawers in the other room for towels that were folded and put away. It was symmetry, pure and simple.
Make of it what you will. I don't have the answers about
why this happens except perhaps that we are
meant to (without the deterministic flavor, please, but in the same sense that all
beings take care of themselves in the best way they are able) take care of ourselves, which means
listening to ourselves, which means that sometimes, the very best thing is to leave the last load of laundry for a different day. And sometimes it isn't.
