Stories Collected While Living in France

French la Vie

The Depth of Feeling while Washing the Dinner Dishes

Dishes Silver teaspoons

Last night as I was washing the dishes after dinner, I looked out the kitchen window and saw Sacha talking to French Husband. They were doing that male bonding boy thing, talking about bikes, how fast they could go, and his new helmet. Sacha's face like the full moon was a glow in the pink, twilight sky. As I reached for another dish, and held the sudsy sponge in the other hand, in that very ordinary moment that I have lived many times as a wife and mother; I started to cry. I cried a mixture of many things all labeled with the word love. Love for my son, love for French Husband, love for the moment, love for standing in front of a kitchen sink, love for the stack of dishes, love for missing my father, love for the money to be able to send Sacha to visit my family in California, love for feelings that are raging and simple and often unexplainable. Hot tears, steadily washed my face, without thinking I wiped them with the sudsy sponge– it didn't matter that my eyes were now burning more because of the soap- my heart felt the same….joy.

Comments

42 responses to “The Depth of Feeling while Washing the Dinner Dishes”

  1. ohsovintage

    When we have so much to be thankful for it is just overwhelming and the happiness overflows in the form of tears.

    Reply
  2. jend’isère

    you are back to colours again. Primary feelings overcome by the pastels you experienced with your daughter transmitted to your appreciaton of your men. And who said pink is just for girls?

    Reply
  3. Gracie

    Sometimes you take for granted a lot of things, then suddenly the truth comes to your heart and tears fall down. It’s a very good feeling, I have to say.

    Reply
  4. poppy fields

    A fine example of living and appreciating the moment. Life is simple and beautiful.

    Reply
  5. Vicki

    Tears of joy are wonderful…the simple things in life are the best!!!!

    Reply
  6. Merisi’s Vienna for Beginner

    Sometimes our blessings have a way to literally showing us their faces. *hugs*

    Reply
  7. Jacqueline

    Oh, How I know that feeling. Everything comes together in that one moment…life, death,love,gratefulness,happy,regret,missing those that have gone, sad,rememberence, tolerence…every emotion in one milli second.And it’s a good thing.
    On a lighter note, it was a good job that you weren’t chopping chilis !!!!

    Reply
  8. Dissertation Writing Help

    Blogs are so interactive where we get lots of informative on any topics nice job keep it up !!

    Reply
  9. Jeanne

    It is the small quiet moments that are the big things in life………..
    You are truly blessed
    Love Jeanne♥

    Reply
  10. dede

    Welcome to menopause, my dear!
    xox

    Reply
  11. kelleyn

    Moments like these are precious. Sometimes, my husband thinks the children don’t listen to him, but yesterday my 7 old proved him wrong when my son remembered a newspaper topic that my husband had been reading in the Wall Street journal about Ghost in Germany. Which my son thought funny at the time, but then my husband has explained it was in ref to something in the past. My son word for word said to his dad his explanation. Made me proud.

    Reply
  12. pauline

    My daughter and I call those times when emotion washes over us “happy moments” whether they move us to tears or laughter. One never knows when they will descend or just what will trigger them but they are moments of insight to cherish. Thanks for sharing yours.

    Reply
  13. molly

    it is those moments that matter most in life!!!

    Reply
  14. Mo’a

    I know just how you felt. It is such an overwhelming feeling of joy and nostalgia at the same time.
    You have an amazing way of relaying thoughts and feelings. xoxox

    Reply
  15. Marcie

    That’s what live and love are all about.

    Reply
  16. Debra P.

    Corey, again to hear you apeak of feelings I have had (and, others on this blog) bonds and strengthens the camradary we feel with you. I’m always surprised and a little shocked when that wave of all those emotions begins hitting me all at once. I feel very blessed and maybe a tad guilty for experiencing so much good in my life, wanting desparately to hold on to the special moments forever!

    Reply
  17. Sheala

    Love flowing out of a profoundly grateful heart and making its way down your cheeks!! I can picture you in that moment in my minds eye.
    Thank you for the blessing.

    Reply
  18. Jeanette M.

    I feel this way so often when I look at my husband, when he comes into the room or even when I hear his voice on the other end of the phone. To feel appreciation for simple things that are really big things is a lovely gift.

    Reply
  19. Julie Ann Evins

    That is wonderful, so simple, so profound, God Bless, Jx

    Reply
  20. Laura

    tender and beautiful…

    Reply
  21. Marilyn

    Love is a very special feeling. Thanks so much for sharing your heart with us.
    Marilyn
    in Oregon

    Reply
  22. shannon in oregon

    it can almost feel overwhelming, that thing called love. and isn’t it grand?

    Reply
  23. martina

    So very eloquent, Corey. Thank you!

    Reply
  24. caren

    That is one of those moments that you have to cherish and just BE.

    Reply
  25. Andrea

    Beautiful, Corey…just beautiful. And I completely understand….

    Reply
  26. Marilyn

    Those are the moments that make life so exquisite. Thank you for describing it so eloquently.
    Marilyn (in Dallas)

    Reply
  27. Betty

    Happy tears, the best kind.

    Reply
  28. Kimberly C.

    That is so sweet. I know, those moments can catch you off guard sometimes. Cherish.

    Reply
  29. Pamela

    Those feelings are what it means to be human.

    Reply
  30. Joanny

    Corey
    You were having a “ZEN” moment… Like Thornton Wilder in his three act play “Our Town”you take the ordinary moments of family life making family life seem “extraordinary”
    I love those moments when out of the blue the unexplained joy of my family life washes over me.
    Is it a female thing? or do men experience it also?
    Joanny

    Reply
  31. elsy

    ever since i turned 50 this year, this seems to happen to me more and more. i look at what i have and the overwhelming joy often makes me cry.its a private moment filled with such happiness and yet such dread at all the changes in the family. comfort to know its not just me x

    Reply
  32. Deirdre

    Moments like that are true magic, and the gift is crying those tears of joy and gratitude. Thank you for sharing this; I’m going to look more happily upon my kitchen sink. xoxo

    Reply
  33. dotsie

    THAT is why I love to wash dishes.

    Reply
  34. hhb

    Those moments sweep over one and are precious indeed. Washing up is invariably a good time to think for me. Thankyou for writing about it here.

    Reply
  35. La Donna

    Life is good!

    Reply
  36. Shelley Noble

    Lovely moment, well noticed. Isn’t it wonderful to be alive to enjoy these experiences!?

    Reply
  37. Elaine

    Dearest Corey, you have because you give, you are loved because you love. Washing dishes is a form of meditation and soul searching.

    Reply
  38. Gina Baynham

    Every so often us females just get that lovely sentimental side of us flowing down our cheeks! If I cried while washing up my hubby would assume I had my period!

    Reply
  39. annie

    Those moments when the heart just seems to expand, too large for our chest, are always wondrous moments of great joy.

    Reply
  40. Sally

    Love this post Corey – probably because I’m a big moosh and cry at the proverbial drop of a hat and am so thrilled when someone else is weepy like me, which is so dang seldom. 😉 But more likely because I could feel the love come through your words.

    Reply
  41. susanna

    Ohhh, I think many of us women have experienced such cleaning-cleansing moments. For me, laundry is therapy.

    Reply
  42. Peter

    Visit http://lastnightwas.com where you can post your personal feelings and what happened with you last night what I got while surfing internet yesterday.

    Reply

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