i woke up this morning
to find
that all the
worrying things
in my life
had already
settled
themselves
down,
in my mind
for the day.
there they were,
seated in the most comfortable chairs,
completely at home.
bickering amongst themselves,
clamouring
for my heart’s attention,
who was more important?
who deserved more attention?
who wore the scariest mask?
i tried to show them the morning light
dancing on the wallpaper,
but,
they preferred the dark.
let’s have some tea,
i said,
a sweet start to the day,
but,
they only drank the bitter waters of ‘mara’.
i tried to show them
pictures,
beautifully framed,
of all the good memories
from the past,
but,
they had images of their own,
not yet developed.
negatives,
where the light
appeared
dark,
and i struggled to
discern the real
picture.
so, i left them there,
in their front row seats,
grumbling for lack of attention
and
i went out,
seeking
peace and promise,
and
somewhere
between
my boy’s laughter on the playground swing,
and giving an old book from the charity shop
a
new
home,
and an old lady’s
petal pink smile
in the dairy aisle,
and sipping spicy, chai tea
in the warmth of
a tea shop,
i walked right into holiness.
mundane grace,
found me
and
smiled at my
unwelcome guests,
laughed at their
false bravado,
and
their dwindling shadows,
and
before i knew it,
light flooded into the corners
where fear likes to
lurk,
and happiness,
kicked melancholy
right out of her favourite seat.
what a commotion that was.
and hope,
sweet
gentle
hope,
walked right up to despair
and said
out!
now!
and,
that was that.
party over.
here and there,
a handwritten promissory note
of future doom
still flaps about in the breeze,
but,
the windows are open
and
hope has a broom.
and,
she’ll take care of those.
she likes to keep things
clean.
— housekeeping.
© Liezel Graham 2018.
It’s been a funny old day.
Perfect for mental housekeeping.
Fortunately, hope, likes to keep things clean.
