The dreaded words that i absolutely hated hearing. The words my Mom always said on any given evening, as far back as I can remember.
They still, to this day, make my skin crawl!
Get a cup towel always meant that my Mom needed me to dry the dishes. Annnnd put them away as I went!
We had a dishwasher.
What the HELL?
Well the other night as I was doing my own dishes. My own, 32 year old, dishes I realized something. I was alone. Doing the dishes by myself. And even though I enjoy peace and quiet ANY time I can get it, it was odd. It was odd listening to all of the household commotion going on in the background of my own thoughts.
Matt was wrestling Raegan into her pajamas, Tyler was singing, and Aubry was babbling and hollering at the top of her lungs. That was ok with me. I loved the fact that Matt finally had his turn at doing what I do everyday.
It actually made me laugh to myself.
And I know that, in his head, he was thinking about how much bullshit it is to have to do all of the bullshit he was having to do. And where on earth is my wife? AND WHY ISN'T SHE HELPING ME?!?!?
I guarantee that is exactly what went through the Dad brain of his.
But I kept washing.
Alone.
With my thoughts.
And I got all nostalgic for a minute. I remembered how every night, without fail, my Mom would tell me to get a cup towel. She needed help with the dishes. I remember how I hated it. How bad it sucked.
And while I was alone that very minute, in my own grown up kitchen, I suddenly wished I had someone to talk to. Then I started thinking of all of the talks we had. How we bonded every night over the dishes.
I realized. For about 45 minutes of my mother's day, she had my attention. And I hers. And we would talk.
We would talk about our day. Talk about my dad, brother, or whoever the hell we needed to hash out. We would laugh, we would talk about anything that came to mind, but most importantly we would connect. We would connect with each other like we would not otherwise have done....without those dishes.
I mean, we had a dishwasher, but my mom insisted that I help dry the dishes. And I know now, that it was just an excuse so she could have me all to herself.
What woman LIKES to do dishes? My 12 year old brain was convinced that it was MY mom!
But now, my 32 year old brain knows now that it was just her trying to keep that line of communication open with her teenage daughter.
I know that now. I wished I knew it then, and could appreciate it as much as I do now.
Because after all, I now have two daughters of my own, and I only hope that we have the kind of relationship that THEY can talk to me in that same way I used to talk to my Mom.
Now when I go home to visit, and I see my mom start the dishwater, without thinking, I "Grab a Cup Towel" without being told. Because, now, I enjoy spending that time with my mom. Just being in her kitchen. Having a chat.
So, one of these days, when Raegan and Aubry are old enough to "Grab a Cup Towel" I will get the same eye roll that I used to give my Mom. But I can over look it.
You know why?
Because that will mean that I get them, for at least 45 minutes, all to myself.
