Everyday Excerpt

Each day I do the dirty work, the effort that attracts no notice but my own, and in this very place I find the ordinary ingredients for genuine fulfillment.

Rising with the sun to sort and stack the dishes, appreciating this simple task as the essential start to a healthy day. Chopping the blemished fruit into breakfast, savoring the taste of my own usefulness. Emptying full hampers without resentment or commentary. Making a marriage from sturdy pots and pans, an enduring masterpiece of mutual forgiveness. Cooking dinner while my daughter plunks the most lovely praise songs from the piano, knowing that my own mother, standing in her own kitchen, once received the same sweet cup of satisfaction from me. Watching my family circle each other in wary regard, wrestle and shout a messy wreck of feelings, seeing them suffer their deep adoration of each other, and leaving it be, well and good and theirs alone. Keeping silent about some things and laughing about most everything.

Loving all of this, and then forgetting to add even that, so full to the brim with this life already.

Excerpted from the book Hand Wash Cold: Care Instructions for an Ordinary Life ©2010 by Karen Maezen Miller. Printed with permission of New World Library, Novato, CA. www.newworldlibrary.com

For a dose of everyday inspiration, listen to Karen Maezen Miller read an extended excerpt from Hand Wash Cold on her blog today.

And please share an image of your own everyday beauty. For some perfect examples from our community visit the One Word Project flickr pool where the word this month is everyday.

Karen is graciously giving away a signed copy of her book for Giveaway May. Leave a comment here between now and Thursday midnight for a chance to win.

Congrats to Aia for winning the signed copy of Hand Wash Cold. Yay!

Comments

[julie reynolds]

Thank you for the lovely words...

[Cyndy IB]

Gotta get my hands on that book. Thank you fro sharing.

[Rosalinda]

Beautiful words, capturing the grace of everyday.

http://sheislikethat.wordpress.com/

[Valerie]

Sometimes when you stop to really look at those daily patterns, they take your breath away.
http://journeyleaf.typepad.com/journeyleaf/2010/05/sleepy-morning.html

[cori d.]

as a fragment collector, i love this...
so full to the brim
with
this life
already.

so much possibility in there.
thank you for that.

[kristal]

Beautiful!

[Debbie E]

oh I love that ...everyday life,,finding joys in it daily are the key to happiness,well I believe,id love to get my hands on that book.it sounds wonderful!! Every morning I get up and put away the dishes from the night before drying in the rack. Let out the dog,clean up after the cats.Get my teenager up and moving.The day has started. I open curtains up to welcome the day and love the soft spring morning light. Everyday things are heavenly when you enjoy them :)

[Angel]

That's amazing! We really need to look at and appreciate the everyday. It is what our life is made up of.

[Verbena]

What a beautiful perspective on everyday life!

[Michelle P]

What a heartwarming reminder! I find comfort in the everyday,

and the treasures i find along the way...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/50099518@N05/4602681477/

[Annie]

This excerpt is perfect for my state of mind today. There is beauty all around. We need only to recognize its presence in our lives. All we need to do is breathe mindfully to rid our minds of the cluttering thoughts that block it from our view.

[Kim Welter]

What a beautiful piece. Reminds me to enjoy the simple parts of each day. There is nothing more to look for, just appreciating the beauty of what we have. I love that now I think of how lucky I am to have my family with me as we fix and eat dinner together. Even cleaning up!

[Jacqueline]

I really enjoyed this excerpt and would love to read the book. We often forget that there is peace and beauty in doing things that may seem ordinary. I also really liked, "Keeping silent about some things and laughing about most everything." Sometimes I need the reminder about keeping silent. Not every feeling needs to be voiced. Thank you for a great post.

[Sylvia]

Very soothing....I really am glad I found your blog!

[Mariella]

This speaks to me on so many levels. Can't wait to read this book!! xoxo, ~ M.

[stef]

Oh, how I love Karen and so looking forward to meeting her next week at the SF Mother's Plunge.

[Lisa]

I am actually posting on her book today (http://lifeunity.blogspot.com). I am going to buy a second copy to giveaway...this awareness she has needs to be shared. I would love to win a copy - to continue to pass on.

Thank you for the opportunity.

[Jennifer]

Karen is such a wise soul. Filled with so much knowledge. Her books feel like sitting down and listening to a wise friend.

Her words resonate deeply with me.

[Eva @ EvaEvolving]

Love Karen and am so happy for yet another excerpt of her book. So true - yet a lesson I'm still trying to wrap my mind and heart around.

[spread your wings]

i would love a book like that.
it's the everyday things that attract me the most sometimes - a fold of a cloth, simple wooden utensils and the always appealing shape of eggs,
http://www.flickr.com/photos/autumnsun/4591028170/