Lesson from my Laundry Line

In the quest to save money my husband put up a clothes line.

I really liked the idea, ok I loved the idea!  Why though?   Its just  clothes line, a piece of rope hung between 2 pieces of wood.  I am continually amazed at the lessons I learn from the simple unexpected pleasures in life.   Typically I take the crumbled up pieces of clothing out of the washer and throw them in the dryer.  When the load is done I take the pile of clothes and put them in a basket to be sorted out later, or try to have my kids do it.  (its not a favorite, although my 2 oldest seem to do well with this task).  Its like being in a factory, mass production.  

Now I have done about 6 loads of laundry and have hung them on the line outside.  The little stump with the platform is for the laundry basket so I do not have to lean down to the ground-my husband is a genius.  I am forced to take each piece of clothing out of the basket and hang it up individually.  When it is all dry, I take each one down and fold it.   It is the whole process of having to go outside, feeling the sun or slight breeze, using the clothes pins--its a package deal.  Until you do it yourself you may not understand, but treating each piece of clothing individually is transforming, in the realm of clothing and other areas of life.  Each piece now matters, time has been taken with it, to care for it.  Everything we own should be treated as such.  

Gone are the days of handmade wares, we live in the world of mass production--Walmart vs. mom and pop.  I love the thrift stores with a treasure that is well made and has a story or 2 behind it vs. box store plastic that will fall apart.  The laundry line has reaffirmed this for me, has brought me back to a time where we care for each item we own vs. not remembering what we have because it is buried in a closet.  

Ok, so I am not putting down the dryer-I still have mine-but, my clothes line has taught me to appreciate each thing we own and to care for it, wether its a sock or an expensive blouse-they are equally important (have you ever missed a sock-especially in the dryer?)

Something I just wanted to share :)