Washing Dishes, Window or Mirror

This is my new arrangement where I spend a lot of my life washing the dishes. I have lived in many homes in my life, 14 moves, 13 different homes. The best arrangement, I thought, was the sink facing any window in the kitchen, 9 of the homes I lived in had this feature.  In my home, that would mean that I could keep an eye out on my children in the back yard.  I do anyway... but I have always thought that the sun shining on my dishes and being able to see the world; the "beautiful day in the neighborhood" would be ideal. 

The mirror in this arrangement is only from 2 to 5 years old. We used to have a penny farthing ornamental bicycle with a mirror within it.  It was small. I liked to be able to see behind me, but I always had to move my head to see more than my face.  It is nice to have a conversation with my back to others and be able to look into their eyes.  The new mirror allows that to happen.

My sister gifted me with the vases in the picture.  I recently learned about the plants that survive on air and an occasional watering. I couldn't wait to find some to grace the wall.  This new beauty prompted more contemplation of the original discontentment over the placement of the sink in this kitchen.  It seems to me that all kitchens should have this feature, don't those who build homes know that the most basic of every day things, like washing dishes, needs an extra cosmic epiphanic perk.  (Cosmic Epiphany: God revealed in all of Creation.) We need to see outside while we wash.

Back to complaining... I mean more contemplation while doing the dishes.  I don't get to see the wider world while I wash.  When I looked up I could see my eyes and sorrow.  I was tired and not well.  Dave can always tell when I am getting a headache by looking into my eyes.  I see it too when I am not having vision problems, another symptom of a migraine coming on. Fr. Adrian came to mind.  His constructs for Formation Science and the fields of formation; wider world mondial, intra, inter, and situational fields.   When I wash dishes, I don't have the wider world to contemplate, unless I turn on the radio.  But I do have my own face to read.  Is it full of joy? Is it ill? Is it worried, and what about?  Is it too scary for David Jr. because I am mad? Is it old? Uncared for?  Tonight I was washing dishes around 5:00 before Dave was expected home and my hair wasn't coiffed.  So I stopped what I was doing to turn on the curling iron.

Several days ago, I contemplated the weary face and looked with a critical eye at the OTHER arrangements in my kitchen that make me flustered, the things that if a friend came in to the house to care for any of us, she would be lost in my kitchen.  It would make anyone tired to work here!   Could those arrangements be remedied?  Yes they can!   They have been remedied.  At least the ones I have identified so far.  The kitchen sink will probably never be moved to the window.  I may someday have a bay window where the one we have is.  But it doesn't matter.  I think I need to let go of the resentment for the builders and appreciate that I can take my own attitude inventory with the view on the wall where I do my dishes.  What other time of the day is that done?  God knows what I need and it seems He doesn't think it was ever important for my sink to be on the South wall facing out.  The interior wall where I could look in and have the intra-formational conversation with Him is all that is necessary.   Thank God for the bigger view and always, for a new gratitude.  It is about time I let go of that resentment. It makes me blind, and could add to my migraines.