I have a confession: I’ve been vacuuming excessively and obsessively.
My heart has been heavy. I’ve been out of words. The devastation, worries, and sadness have felt suffocating. (Keep reading because there’s a silver lining. )
I’m guessing many of us are experiencing similar emotions. And I have a confession: I’ve been vacuuming excessively and obsessively.
Does anyone else garner great gratification from hearing the crunch of crumbs whir through a tube? How about emptying the hair-filled (I shed like a puppy), swollen vacuum bag? When we went into lockdown, one of my dear friends recommended the Dyson. OMG. The ULTIMATE satisfaction. I can see the clear canister fill with specks of dust.
I think I’ve been vacuuming nearly every day the past few weeks. Hopefully that counts as a cardio workout. And then I realized why I’ve been zooming in and out of rooms.
Yes, I like my house clean; my family will attest to that. But I don’t usually vacuum every day. And I was going at it quite vigorously. Here’s what inspired today’s Soul Story video:
The vacuum suddenly stopped working. I got so agitated. And I thought, “This is ridiculous, Dara. Why on earth are you reacting this way?” Most minor things don’t bother me– the big stuff like what’s going on in our world or a family member being sick is a punch in the gut. Not a blown fuse.
I plopped on the floor. I sat criss crossed on the wood with my brows furrowed and forehead scrunched. And pondered what the heck was going on. Vacuuming is likely an action I can control. I can clean. I can organize.
Maybe I was sucking up my feelings? Literally. I don’t know. I’m simultaneously guilty and grateful for all that we have. Freedom. Peace. Safety. And something simple as having the ability to vacuum a room.
Or perhaps it’s something deeper. It is isolating to exist in a vacuum. We need to be here for each other. I also realized it’s a meaningful metaphor for all of us. (Please click on the Soul Story video to listen!)
I’ve been thinking, talking, crying, and writing. I would love to hear from you. How are you doing? Reach out and let me know.
I wish there could be a circuit breaker, a switch, to shut off hate. Let’s not live in a vacuum. Let’s amplify love. Thanks for being here with me each week.
