Yesterday I heard poet Margaret Christakos give a reading of her poetry and a novel that was still in progress. In her novel-in-progress she described housework as acts of creation that are immediately destroyed (the dinner that has been made is eaten) and as short little maddening stories (I am now doing the laundry. Time passes as I do the laundry). I should mention that she described these ideas using much more beautiful language than I am doing now.

After the reading, I got a chance to speak with Margaret and I told her I was playing with an idea about housework that was somewhat connected to her idea - that housework was like the creation of a mandala - something created that is beautiful but heartbreakingly transient. I don't think she thought much of my housework-as-prayer idea as we then chatted a little bit about how housework can a take a toll on one's being as it is lonely, thankless work. I think we ended our conversation with the thought that housework should be done by at least three people.

And yet it is work that must be done. We must continue to fight against decay and entropy. If you celebrate it, you become the object of ridicule. We know that decay and entropy will win in the end. There is no point celebrating a losing battle.