Sisyphus and the Laundry
Will everyday life be torture or practice?
In Greek mythology, we find the tale of Sisyphus, a crafty king who cheated death twice and pissed the gods off as a result.
Never to be outsmarted, especially by lowly humans, Zeus, King of the gods, condemned Sisyphus to spend eternity pushing a massive boulder up a steep hill. Whenever the boulder reached the top, it would immediately roll down to the bottom, and Sisyphus would have to begin the process again. Forever.
Can you imagine the torture?
You’re probably thinking, “Umm, yes. Have you ever done laundry? Washed the dishes? Driven the same route to do the same job day in and day out?”
It’s easy for the repetitive nature of daily life to go from being a chore to feeling like a curse. And that’s precisely what it will become. Unless we choose otherwise. The way I see it, we have two options:
Suffer Monotony
Dread the dishes. Loathe the laundry. Beat your head against your steering wheel on the way to work.
Shift Your Perspective
Wayne Dyer said, “When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”
If we choose to see life as a grind, a daily uphill boulder roll, that’s what it will be. But, as I’ve written before, mundanity can also be a gateway into mindfulness. In those moments of repetition, we can slow down and practice the art of being in the moment. The truth is, unless you generate the kind of income that affords you the luxury of outsourcing the everyday tasks of life, they aren’t going anywhere.
So, what will it be, torture or practice?
I’d love to know how you see it. Join me in the comments!