Happy Tuesday Morning, My Friend!
Guess who is turning two! Or should I say, what is turning two? This weekly email! This week marks two years of writing to you. My newsletter is now officially a toddler. I can’t believe how fast it’s growing up! Sniff.
Do you have an ordinary household chore that you despise? Maybe despise is a strong word. Dislike—a lot? I could probably come up with a good long list of dislikable tasks, but there is one that tops the heap. One that I’ll put off until I just can’t put it off any longer.
Ironing.
Even the word sounds unpleasant when you say it out loud. I only iron clothes a couple of times a year when it’s absolutely necessary. My go-to method for getting wrinkles out of clothing is making a pile of said clothes and just keep stacking them up, thereby pressing the wrinkles out by the sheer weight of the stacked clothes. It’s really not a horrible solution!
When I decide it’s time to iron, I have to set up my environment very pleasingly to assuage my discomfort with the process. I set up my ironing board in front of the television and then find something thoroughly entertaining to watch as the torture ensues. A Jurassic Park movie is just the ticket. I set up in my bedroom since the Leaning Tower of Clothes-a is nearby.
One time, as I began this arduous process, I spotted something delightful out of our bedroom window. Our bedroom window looks out over the backyard, specifically at a large, beautiful rubber tree. I love this tree. I love all trees, but this one is special. At this time in history, we also had lots of ducks that hung out in our backyard, as we have a canal that runs alongside the yard. Note: The ducks were my dear friends until they got too comfortable and started using our pool enclosure screen as their bathroom facilities. Bye-bye, birdies.
As I was standing behind my ironing board and looking out the window, I saw the prettiest duck sitting under the big tree. She was still as could be, just enjoying a lovely Florida afternoon in the shade. I was careful not to make any sudden movements as I liked having her there with me as I trudged my way through this disdainful task.
She was calm and still as anything! Every time I glanced up from my work, she held her head in the same position. She made me feel very peaceful, and I felt my anger over having to remove wrinkles from clothing slip away. Carefully, I slipped the various garments onto hangers and sauntered quietly to hang them in the closet. Don’t want to scare her away! Thanks, Ms. Duck, for keeping me company while I do this awful job!
A little while later, I returned to the bedroom; Ironing was done (thank God), and —oh, look! The duck is still there! —Wait a minute. I crept slowly to the window to see what I’d been looking at all that time. It was not a duck at all.
It was a stick.
A stick! All that oohing, aahing, and “oh look how sweet is that-ing” —over a stick! Granted, the branch looked very much like a duck head, so don’t go thinking I’ve totally lost my mind. Also, I wear contacts, but my vision isn’t great. Oh well, that stick-duck helped me get through a round of ironing, so I guess that’s what really matters.
Maybe the thing is this: I wanted to see a duck, so I saw a duck. In this case, it wasn’t such a bad deal. I was looking at a piece of wood, and my eyes or mind tricked me into thinking it was a peaceful duck sent by Divine Authority to help me through my ironing crisis. (Believe me, I know this is no crisis compared to the world’s other problems. I just like to go for the dramatic effect.)
This duck business has me wondering how often I might see what I want to see when I look at people. How often do I look too quickly, make an assumption, and choose to see someone the way I want to see them instead of who they really are? That woman? Well, she used to ___________, so she’s pretty much just a _________. Him? I saw the way he reacted to ____________, and so that confirms he’s a ______________. I could fill in the blanks with all manner of things. If I decide early on that I will see a duck, I see a duck. If I choose early on that someone is a jerk, then I will see a jerk. It’s funny; I have no desire to be a judge, but how often do I assume that role? Way too often.
In the very beginning of the Bible, we are told that God made us each “in His own image.” Me? In God’s image? Yes. The crabby man down the street—in God’s image? Yes. The woman in my neighborhood that drives me nuts? God’s image? Yes. Shouldn’t I be handling God’s image with more care? More respect?
Perhaps you don’t believe what I believe, but at the core, shouldn’t we all be courteous and give each other respect? Even if we don’t all think the same? Another note: I am totally preaching to myself here, and if it resonates with anyone else, all the better.
I’ve taken to wearing my purple rubber band on my wrist once again. It’s there, just waiting to snap if negative or judgy thoughts come through. I’m going to snap myself into seeing others the way God sees them. Well, it’s going to take more than a purple rubber band. But lucky for me, God’s Spirit is with me to help give me better vision.
I wouldn’t complain, though, if more stick-ducks show up when it comes time to iron again.
Written with love – – Patti XOXO
“Then God said, ‘Let us make mankind in Our image, in Our likeness . . . ‘”
Genesis 1:26a