Dust

It’s hadn’t been that long. In fact, it had only been a few days, or at least that’s what I thought, but when I entered my studio dust rested on every flat surface. Because all the doors and windows had been shut, I expected everything to be as I left it. “I guess I’ve been gone longer than I thought,” I said to myself as I got out the Endust. With each swipe of the dust rag, I realized there was a lesson to be had, one that speaks to many areas of my life.

Being a human, at least being the kind of human I long to be, takes work. It requires constant care and effort, and yet so often I fall asleep or think I’ve been more attentive than I have been. Whether in my marriage, friendships, physical or spiritual intentions, I create intentions that fill me with as much excitement as creating physical spaces like my studio. I devote much of my time getting things “just so” before heading off to other interests. I shut the doors and windows and think things will remain as I left them, but dust somehow finds its way onto every flat surface in less time than I can believe, and I’m left with no choice but to get the rag out and get dusting.

I have a friend I love dearly. The last time we were together was magical and yet it has been months since we were in touch and the phone gets dustier every day.

My wife and I had a moment when we were completely in sync. “This is what marriage is supposed to feel like,” I thought before a challenge swept across the surface revealing a layer of dust.

Before COVID, I bought an exercise bike I used every other day. Now it sits in the corner of the room gathering dust.

I have a spiritual practice of reading two devotionals and writing 30 minutes each morning. I’m successful most days, but recently things have come up and, looking at my journal, I saw it’s been over a week since I last wrote. I was certain it had only been a day or two, but the dust facing me this morning revealed it had been longer than that. The pen was heavier than I remember, and the 30 minutes seemed longer than ever, but that’s the price of letting dust settle.

As we enter the summer months, my hope is that we will all get out our rags and get dusting and not find ourselves in September with the most important parts of our lives covered in dust.