I’ve been washing dishes since I was old enough to reach the faucet at the kitchen sink.

Do you have any idea how many dishes a family of seven uses each meal?

I washed. My sister dried. Night after night after night.

And I never thought I’d say this, but today … I find dish-washing kinda calming.

Even comforting.

There’s something meditative about the predictable pattern of wash, rinse, repeat. I am almost thoughtless, really, purely in the moment and soothed by warm water and soap bubbles, mesmerized a bit by a cotton towel. Drying. Stacking. Back and forth.

Clean.

Maybe it’s about creating order in a chaotic world. Or maybe it’s about completing simple tasks in a complicated life.

Whatever.

This mindset,  this moving meditation brings me peace.

Slow your busy mind down with these household chores too:

• chopping vegetables – the rhythm satisfies the ear
• folding laundry – warm from the dryer
• making the bed – snug the sheets, pile the pillows … tuck, fluff, smooth
• baking – see my post on how baking centers me here

How do you slow your busy mind?