A Very Short Story

One Woman's Joy

​The woman, still wearing her pajamas, stood back and looked with pleasure upon the mud room area she had just installed on the garage wall.

Two white benches with chrome shelving underneath for shoes and boots fit nicely into the space next to the door leading to the kitchen. Two shelving units hung securely above and to the right with hooks for jackets. Green plastic bins lined up along the shelves for hats, gloves and scarfs.

She had even hung a couple of pretty pictures on the left side of the wall over the benches balancing the shelves.

 “It looks great!” She said aloud, though as far as she knew she was the only one in the garage. “Good job, You.”

She then made several trips back and forth into the house collecting armloads of shoes, boots, jackets, hats, gloves and scarves and putting them away neatly in their new home.

Then, taking a last satisfied look at her completed project she walked back into the kitchen ready for a cup of tea and a sit down.

"I wonder," she thought, as she held the steaming cup in her hand and looked out the patio doors into the backyard, "How is it that I get such pleasure from organizing and decorating my home?"

She thought back over the last four months and how much time and effort she had put into making her home attractive and welcoming.

"Shouldn’t I be doing something more important with my time? Something that makes a difference for others?"

She allowed her thoughts to drift, enjoying the warmth of the cup in her hands and the soothing aroma of chamomile.

She thought of the friends who frequently gathered in her home, the groups, workshops and parties. She thought of the holiday celebrations. She thought of her children playing happily in the yard. She thought of her family from near and far who so often filled her home.

She realized that the love she expressed in her home was rippling outward and benefiting others.

​With a smile and a contented sigh, she understood that what is joyful is our path of service.

Photo by Amanda Lins on Unsplash