Ok, so I have an odd confession to make. I have become reaquainted with a friend of mine from high school on facebook, who doesn't use the words "love" and "hate" without really meaning them, or adding qualifiers, so I've thought about this some. I love my broom. I don't think love is too strong a word here. And, before your mind gets dirty, I don't mean in a romantic or sexual way. I mean I love in a completely selfish kind of way. I love it for what it does for me.
So, if you haven't stopped reading yet, I will explain how I came realize this affection for my broom.
I actually have 3 regular sized brooms and one broom for midgets that comes with my dustpan. In my adulthood I've had this thing about changes in life and brooms. If a significant change came along, such as a move, I would buy a new broom, because I didn't want to bring my old dirt with me. Kind of a way to make a fresh start. More for symbolic reasons, but it's been important to me.
When Braz left, I thought I should get a new broom. Some of it, was might have been because I didn't want any of his old shed-ed skin cells remaining in the house. However, most of it was because I needed to symbolize a new life. I waited, at first because I wasn't really ready to let go. Then, once I started to embrace my new life, there was the issue of money. Since a new broom really isn't necessary, I didn't try to figure out a way to get a new one right now.
I thought about using one of the other brooms, but they each have their own purpose (one for camping, one for outside, and this now controversial broom). I just switched to using the broom that comes with my dust pan (it's the perfect size for the girls, but is a little small for me to use on a regular basis - and I do use my broom on a regular basis! I have been doing that for months now.
Lately I've developed some minor lower back problems and have been rethinking the way I do a few things. I noticed my back tightened up uncomfortably when I was sweeping out under the kitchen table. I took out my "old" broom (we just moved here a year ago, and I did get a new broom then!). I had a sit down with it. I decided that to just try it out. I could always ask for a new broom for Christmas or something (yes, I was really that pathetic). As I started sweeping, I noticed how great this broom is. It's angled just right, so that it gets in corners (and I have some weird corners in the breakfast nook), and under tables. It is a perfect height, so there is absolutely no tightening of my back. It took considerably less time to sweep my entire downstairs with this broom. It is a pleasing color: green and yellow. I decided to embrace this broom, and the little bit of past that it brings with it that bleach couldn't get off (yeah, I did clean the brushes in bleach, because I thought that would be a good idea). So, the broom stays in my new and improved life.
Posted by akris at July 24, 2008 08:13 AM