Today I want to talk about washing the little dishes. I mentioned it in the book but I feel I didn't expand on it enough. In case you haven't read my book yet, in it I talk about washing the dishes when washing the dishes. Well, actually, Mr. Olive Tree i
s the one who talks about it. And, actually, it was not his original idea. He learnt it from the book The Miracle of Mindfulness by Thich Nhat Hanh. It means that when you wash the dishes you should ONLY wash the dishes. Focus on washing the dishes. Think about washing the dishes. And nothing else. Sort of like a meditation.
Don't laugh. I dare you to try it. For just five little minutes. It is the HARDEST THING YOU WILL EVER DO. Seriously. I try. Every time. And maybe if I didn't allow the dishes to pile up in my little but roomy sink every time it would be easier but still... Needless to say I don't enjoy washing the dishes one little bit. So I use the time to think about more important things like "how am I going to create blue roses" or "what kind of roses should I give Phyllis for her birthday" or "how am I going to replace Hello Kitty in the hearts of children all over the world?" Because I feel if I miss one second of thinking I might miss my opportunity. Hello Kitty will be thinking while I'm "washing the dishes" and I will fade away in anonymity. I told you I was very competitive.
But here is the deal. We think that these thoughts that we witness our little selves "manufacture", the ones we actually "see" in our little brains, in other words, our CONSCIOUS thoughts, we think they are the cream. The Blue Roses. When really, they ARE NOT. There is a much bigger brain where much greater thoughts reside. It is called the Universe. That's where the answer to my little Hello Kitty conundrum is. That's where the answers to our most important questions are. The thing is, these thoughts that live "out there" in the Universe are strange little creatures. They are not big fans of light and noise. Their footprints are very very faint. Not noticeable among a stampede of elephantine chatter. Like tiny little pebbles, you won't notice if they fall in white river rapids but they'll cause quite a ripple on a calm, still lake. And that's what your brain becomes when you wash the dishes when washing the dishes, a calm, still lake. They may seem elusive and mischievous like little fairies but they are always with us. We just have to get out of their way.
I am practicing. Everyday. I'm getting better. So lookout Hello Kitty, here I come. And when I get there it will be Goodbye Kitty and Hello Mary!
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