7.21.2010

Priorities

I received this pamphlet in the mail a few weeks ago:

 

Immediately after reading it, I knew I did not like the feeling I was getting. I had a hard time putting my finger on exactly why I was feeling that way. When I was growing up, I cleaned a lady's house a few times a week. I liked doing it and I felt like I was helping her. I was giving her more time to play with her grandkids, spend time with her husband, or scrapbook (which was something she really enjoyed doing). Now, looking back, was I actually hurting her? Was a taking away a critical part of her life?

From the picture, I gather that if I clean my own house then I will never see my family. Is this how people think? I was reading more on the internet about this company and I found this quote from a woman:
I am helping my life to be a long one, by cleaning my own house. I am 76 years of age and I make the chores around the house into exercises. Bend at the knees put the dishes in the dishwasher. Reach up high and take down a plate. Get on your hands and knees and wash the kitchen floor, making long sweeps with your arms. Every month I change the interior decoration in one room. Pushing furniture and lifting tables. I have the radio on and I dance while I vacuum and I vacuum like I am skating. When I am standing at the kitchen counter I walk standing still while I make a pie. I sit down and watch television and make myself get up for every commercial and dance or move to the music background. Life will be too short if you don't clean your own house, in my opinion.
 I would really like to see this woman cleaning her house. I think that would be entertaining.

My life is valuable. It is important for me to teach good values to my children. One of the most important lessons I feel I learned from my parents was how to work hard. It is part of life to take care of things; you should clean up the messes you make, even, or especially, in your own home. I am so satisfied when I finish cleaning  our apartment and I feel like I finally did something exactly to my liking. I am glad I am able to clean my own home and I hope to have a long life.

6 comments:

Rachel said...

Amen, sista.

Also, I like how the label is "Rant." :)

Camille Elise said...

That is a really strange pamphlet. Like REALLY strange. If life is too short to clean your house...you'll end up like my family---with an oober cluttered house and an inability to have fun because there is nowhere to spend your time with your family.

The Macks said...

I feel the same. In many ways, a housekeeper is one step away from a nanny and we all know what a disservice that is to your children.

Elena said...

Emily, you mean you don't dance while you clean your house? I thought everyone did that ...

Bryan and Ellie said...

Cleaning can definitely be satisfying. I must admit, though, that every once in a while, I wouldn't mind someone else coming and cleaning my house. I'd give them all the grody jobs I don't want to do, like removing hair from the shower drain, cleaning the ring around the bottom of the toilet, and scrubbing baseboards. :-)

Paxton said...

i think for some people they need to hear that it's ok to not stress about having a really clean house. because i know a lot of people who miss out on family time due to stresses from the need to have a clean house. both cleaning and family are important but neither should out weigh the other.
:-)

p.s. sorry it's taking me so long to respond. still on my driving across the country trip :-)

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