Looking at the Stains in a Better Light

I stumbled down the stairs this morning to find a gift waiting for me on the Persian rug in the entry. A gift from Peaches. Her gifts are never the kind you're very excited to get. It's never Apple products or gift certificates for massage, but things that need to be cleaned up. So before I even had a cup of coffee, I was cleaning up dog puke. That's how my day started.

I was determined to not just get the stain out, but keep a good attitude in the situation. It's JUST a rug, right? And as much as I try to keep our furniture and rugs in good condition, we are an active family. With active boys. AND a puppy. I could stress myself out trying to keep the rug looking pristine, or just roll with some stains.

It reminded me of the kitchen table we purchased right before moving over here. It's not an expensive table, but I really like it and would like to have it for a long time. I'm not sure if the wood is just soft or if my boys press really hard when they write, but I can see where they've done their homework carved into the table. When the light hits it just right, you can see a mosaic of elementary school spelling words, math and doodles - a written history everything they've learned in the last couple school years.

Some day my house will be quiet. The dog will be old and will sleep all day. The kids will be grown, and when they do visit they'll take their shoes off when they come in (they will, won't they?). I'll look at the rug and remember the time that Jake ran in with mud, so proud to tell me of his accomplishes on the four-square court at the park. Or the day Michael came in with wet feet after dancing around barefoot in the rain. And of course, the morning their cherished pet puked on the rug but was still so happy to see me.

The rug might start looking stained to most, but it's really just silently recording the best days of my life. Some day I'm going to love those stains.