My kitchen looked every bit its age when I bought it 22 years ago. It was a circa 1978 kitchen, and it had atrocious brown and green indoor/outdoor carpet. Yes, you read that correctly. It was surrounded by dark chocolate brown cabinets, had a worn-out sink from too many years of dishes clanking around it, and a weird wrap around countertop that lead to the dining room. We updated to tile, light cabinetry, a new ceramic sink and new counters back around 2010. It felt so good to get it updated. I actually wanted to be in my kitchen so I could keep it clean and clutter free.
Here we are 12 years later, it again feels cluttered and shabby.
Even the prettiest kitchen, however new it may be, can be a chore if you don’t do the dishes, wipe away the grease from the stove, sweep the crumbs off the floor and maintain, maintain, maintain.
If you can learn anything about relationships, it’s that they are like anything in life. In order to continue to enjoy them, you can’t just sit back and watch the cobwebs collect. It takes constant care, daily polishing, date nights for life where you still open the door and hold hands. Just like the oven isn’t going to get cleaned up on its own, you too, need to be the one to keep the romance, the love, the joy, the care, alive. It’s not a one-way street, the stop sign faces both directions.
We’ve been watching the winter Olympic games this week and it’s so fun to watch the families of athletes not able to attend, sitting on the sidelines at their homes with colorful poster board signs. They bolt from sofa screaming and bouncing with joy with every achievement. We all have our biggest cheerleaders when we first begin the race. It’s exciting and new and in shape. Keep that megaphone handy. The race is sometimes long and there are undoubtedly bumps along the way, but holy moly, that gold at the finish line and the cheers along the way are what make the challenge worth risking.
Tonight, I cleaned the sink and washed the dishes like I’ve done a million times, to keep the kitchen looking good, but my heart belongs to my husband. We’re heading into that 20th lap so I better think of something good so we can keep rounding those corners. Rinse and repeat yes, but with a devoted cheering section.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Elaine
