In praise of the ordinary & mundane

My zen master has encouraged me to show up fully in the most mundane tasks, like unloading the dishwasher, folding my laundry, peeling potatoes, etc. At first, this sounded like a bunch of buddhist rubbish: what joy is there in putting my dinner plates away? The more I show up for these things, he insisted, the more contented I will be. I didn't get it.

But, gradually, I did start paying attention to the ordinary moments and found myself alive in them. I now notice the warmth of the dishes as I take them out of the dishwater. I feel my ferns as they graze my legs when working in the garden. I smell the vegetables as I peel and cook them. The little things in my life have become more welcomed activities, and many of them now feel like good friends of mine. I am no longer so grasping of "peak" experiences as I balance out my life and expand my level of awareness to all moments of my life.

A funny thing has happened, too. The extraordinary moments are more colorful and vivid because I am more awake and present. Now, I really show up and notice when watching a great movie or making love, and my heart is pierced by the joy of it.

With a deep bow to the little things in life, I am off to wash the pots.