Wake-up Call

I had a rather profound experience the other day. It was while I was getting chores done around the place; of course, sneezing my head off in the process, because April is, honestly, “sneezin’ season.” My nose was raw and I was exhausted and sore all over from soccer. In reality, I had very minimal work to do, but the tasks dragged as I limped along, pausing often to wipe my tender nose with the tissues crumpled in my pockets. I was a royal mess, and felt very sorry for myself.

As I watered the garden, that dumb hose got stuck under the car tires in the driveway. This was the last straw. I struggled with the grimy hose, yanking it this way and that to free it. All of a sudden I was blasted with a cold spray of water from the spigot. Blindly I jumped back and dropped it. I had to laugh at myself.

Continuing to water, I caught myself thinking, “That actually felt really good. I want to try that again.” It had felt good! Newly refreshed, I forgot all about me and my allergy pity party. Then I noticed several things. First, I observed the way the soil greedily soaked up the water, and then I heard how the songbirds chirped to one another in the woods. Then I noticed the cool breeze wafting past, and felt rather than saw the clouds graciously mute the sun’s hot rays. I even found myself reluctant to wind up the hose and return inside.

So it was that I learned that the “little” things in life are not little at all; we only forget them in the midst of all our woes until something as simple as a spray of water wakes us up.