Zen Dishes

I have a dishwashing machine.  I distinguish dishwashing machine from dishwasher because I also have dishwashers.  Let me explain.....

As the Kitchen Witch knows, there is something rather magical about dishes.  (I know, I was in disbelief at first myself.)  I wasn't aware of this magic until I had a dishwashing machine.

Not so long ago, I lived in a tiny apartment with a one-basin sink and zero counter space.  Washing the dishes was a process, and I hated it.  Sometimes, I even had to stop in the middle of baking to do some dishes to clear room to do more baking.  Tedious, eh?  You betcha.

One night, I got tired of all this nonsense.  So, I put an ad on my Facebook wall: HELP WANTED! Dishwasher -- will be able to lick all bowls and spatulas, and will have first dibs on the final product when served.  No experience necessary.

Before long, two of my friends, Shelly and Bob responded saying they'd be willing to help.  And the next week, Bob was there with his camera.  Not only did he do dishes, but he took pictures the whole time.  After my confection was in the oven, and my kitchen was clean, we sat down to take a look at what he saw.

I expressed to him that I find my life rather ordinary and mundane at times, but that his pictures made it look so much more exciting.  He told me that my life was anything but ordinary -- that it just depended on my perspective.  And he was right!  From the way my wicker lampshade cast shadows on my wall, to the way I laughed when mixing batter (see picture to the side of the page), it all looked so much better from the perspective of his camera lens.  And he changed my perspective.  Our friendship also changed for the better.

When Shelly came, we laughed and looked at scrapbooks, and had some really great conversation.  She and I became better friends as well.  Fantastic friends, really :).  We are as close as a ninja and a pharmacist can get! 

And finally, when I realized what having to do the dishes had done for the way I looked at life, and how they had improved my friendships, I learned the Kitchen Witch's lesson.  Washing dishes was no longer a necessity, but an opportunity or an excuse, to grow, to think, or to have friends over, or to make life less ordinary.

Now, I miss my dishwashers terribly.   I'm thinking about firing my dishwashing machine.