Once upon a time, I had a cleaning lady.
For 4 very short, glorious months. A birthday present from Creighton. Why on earth I didn't hire a cleaning lady the minute I was pregnant with twins, I cannot tell you. Actually, I can: I figured surely I could take care of things. And surely I could put that money to better use. Surely we can't afford a MAID!
Silly Silly Silly Me.
I had a couple of good friends with cleaning ladies. They're the ones who finally convinced me I wouldn't be less of a person, or go broke if we hired one.
Her name was Josefa.
Oh, Josefa, how I miss you. This woman waltzed in my home the very first day and did not leave until every nook and cranny was spotless and smelled like a summer breeze.
Oh Josefa....
I wanted to weep and shout for joy and hug her and fall to my knees in gratitude- this mother with no hands that I was. When we hired her, we specified that we only wanted floors and bathrooms cleaned- which is what I could never get to. But she refused to do only part of the job, saying something about her work ethic. I was frustrated at first, and considered telling her we just couldn't afford her if she wasn't willing to do only what we asked. But I didn't.
Oh, I'm so glad I didn't.
I was usually there while she cleaned. There with my arms balancing babies and my eyes trailing toddlers. We would talk while she worked- about the injustices in her life. About the prejudice towards her people. About her family's struggle to survive. All in her broken English. I wanted to suggest she learn "the language," and get some training... or go to college...or a number of other things that would have only offended. So I didn't. Instead, I listened. And sympathized. And glimpsed the world through her eyes.
And all the while I was inexpressibly, overwhelmingly
grateful.
I didn't realize how much my dirty home was weighing me down mentally. Frustrating me endlessly, because I simply couldn't get to it. Suddenly, all of that weight and frustration was swept, mopped and scrubbed away by my dear friend, Josefa.
Josefa brought me relief. She restored my perspective, freed my mind, and soothed my stretched-out soul.
Just like that.
After 4 months, I received a message one day from Josefa telling me she could no longer continue cleaning homes. She would not be back. I was sad. The timing was good. Our home had just sold, and we were on our way out.
But there are days still when I miss Josefa. Days when the dust balls creep in and the smears smudge all, and all the toilets call... How I would love for her to waltz in and whisk, wipe and whoosh it it all away- and all of my frustrations too.
And how I would love to know that some of her sorrows have been swept away in kind.
Knowing- and loving- Josefa was worth every penny we didn't think we had to spare--
on a cleaning lady.
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3 comments:
I know how you feel. I had a cleaning lady once a month back in CA because I just didn't want to spend the $$. When I got the H1N1 in October of 2009 I decided to bring her in to get the house in order while I was so sick. Then it graduated to every other week, then weekly. When I was teaching fully time I couldn't get to everything. It took a while to get used having someone else in the house, but then I realized, I was creating a job in a time when jobs were scarce. My mom and grandma both have used this lady for years and she has become a staple in our family. She even helped out at my wedding! Maybe one day you'll bring Josepha back. We can't do it all!
This is beautifully written. "arms full of babies, your eyes trailing toddlers" - watching someone do the work you can't. You do feel profoundly grateful. I have hired help when we have really needed it, for many of the same reasons I echo you - worth every penny. Wishing Josefa could come to you now! Or at the least, read this post.
Where is Josefa? What a beautifully written post, Trish. Understood on so many levels.
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