Cactus Dust

It took me years, but I finally did it.  From past posts you know that dusting is not top on my list of favorite Things I get to do today.  But I do it anyway--when necessary.

All brushed up

However I do like to clean the bathrooms, and I finally dusted the cactus that sits on the back of the toilet.  Poor little guy has grown a soft gray fur over his short, sharp spines, and past attempts to dust him have been painful for me, and not so good for him either.  There was  the "blow off the dust" attempt, the "sit under the faucet" try, and the "ignore the crud" technique.  None of these did anything, though sitting under the faucet put some sand in the sink and down the drain.

Back at work

An old toothbrush stands in with me to reach all the little slimy, grimy places in the bathroom when I'm on a clean. Standing with the brush in my hand, seeing the cactus, I am finally, after more than several years, seeing how they go together.  Sure enough, the toothbrush bristles were the perfect length to clean the spines and give Cactus Joe a scalp massage as well. Minutes later he was sparkly-spiky and ready to go back to work.*




*Energy off the tips of the cactus spines help break up congestion in areas like bathrooms.

Must Dust

Let me guess.  Your favorite chore is dusting the house.  Darn!  How could I be so wrong?

Here's a confession.  Write this down:  I don't like dusting either.  I do, however, know how important "clean" is to our feeling of abundance and prosperity.  I choose to participate in it for that reason at least.

I had occasion to do some serious dusting not long ago.  Following my own mantra of "get to," I was looking for ways to change my thinking about the task.  I was cleaning knickknacks, a collection of odds and ends and small, but meaningful items that found their way into this family of objects.

The first items were little peasant musicians playing an assortment of folk instruments.  I credit them with changing my focus.  Maybe it was the silent tune they were playing.  As I picked up the second or third player, I observed what I was holding and thought of who it was that had gifted it.  At this moment my touch and the object sparked a significance.  Next there was a little box, a small picture, a mustard can, some stones, family pictures, a miniature mail box, a tiny book, a bell:  each item had big story, a past and a memory.

I was no longer dusting to clean a space, but I was honoring and sharing in the history of each object.    Appreciate means to grow in value, and as I dusted, each item became the valuable key to a sacred memory.  Next time dusting is part of Things I get to do today,  I'm going to milk the memories.