Life Itself is Sweet

Life Itself is Sweet

by Angie Patterson

As I was preparing dinner this evening, my mind wrote and rewrote my seemingly deep thoughts about The Tao of Pooh. After the kids were in bed, I intended to begin my inspirational composition immediately. But there was a pile of dishes in the sink, baskets of laundry to fold, and a willing husband to help with both. Carpe diem, I thought. As I was doing those mundane tasks, I realized something important, something I hadn’t caught before. It could be Tao.

Benjamin Hoff described “the basic Taoism that we are concerned with here is simply a particular way of appreciating, learning from, and working with whatever happens in everyday life. From the Taoist point of view, the natural result of this harmonious way of living is happiness.” (pg 5)

Hmm. I sure do appreciate clean dishes and clothing, even if I don’t like doing those chores. I also love it when my husband willingly helps. And chores sure are some of those things that we have to work with in everyday life.

What if I started to enjoy the mundane tasks of everyday life? Instead of grumbling about it, I could be grateful for many things about it--my helpful husband, the 80s hair band videos we made fun of while folding laundry, a job completed, a spot in the house made tidy, the children sleeping peacefully. Even writing about it makes me feel happy.

Until now, I thought that living Tao meant to do things that bring happiness or choosing to be happy regardless the circumstances. Chores, to me, were not a part of Tao. But they really are.

In the simplicity of just plain living, I have realized that, “life itself, when understood and utilized for what it is, is sweet.” (pg 6)