Rolling back the years (a PineSol moment)

A few days ago, my wife Jan reminded me that I had once taken up drawing. Pretty antithetical for someone who has always clung to the written word. However, I had recently run across my old “drawing stuff”. I had a pencil case full of drawing pencils and a couple of pads of charcoal drawing paper (one of which I am now no longer able to find).

Yes, I had been a drawer at one time–not to bad at it if I do say so myself. Whatever happened to all the talent, or at least ambition? Whatever happened to that charcoal drawing pad that contained my first few creations?

I did something (else) today that is sort of out of character for me. I love to wash floors. Well, perhaps “love” is a rather exuberant word. I do it because I have to. Usually I use an old-time cleaner on the floors called PineSol. It has a rambunctious odor that is truly piney and makes it smell as though you really washed the floor (even if all you did was give it a quick swish–which is sometimes all I ever really do).

Today, however, I used Simple Green. I used to be a staple, and I found the remainders of a jug underneath the stairs at our place, where we keep the cleaning supplies. I used to really love this stuff. Like I said, it was a staple.

Well, the first thing I noticed was the PJ, our elderly chihuahua didn’t freak out when I mopped with Simple Green, the way he does with PineSol. Instead, while I was mopping the floor in the kitchen, he curled up and went to sleep. The second thing I noticed was that I wasn’t as anxious while I was mopping either! Is Simple Green the secret sauceI?

Let me say at this point, the manufactures of Simply Green are not paying me, nor is there any sort of nefarious motivation on my part to promote this particular cleaning solution. In fact, PineSol is the one cue that Jan has when she walks in the door that I’ve actually done something! My mom used PineSol, her mom used PineSol. It’s sort of a family tradition. No one when I was growing up had ever heard of Simple Green. In fact, the raison d’être for a green cleaning solution (pollution, saving the planet) wasn’t even on anyone’s horizon!

So, where am I going with this?

Things change. Sometimes in ways that we can’t even imagine. Things, like cleaning liquids, can take on a life of their own. They can take on new meaning, despite our decidedly turning the other way. Simple Green is the new PineSol! Who woulda thunk?

How many things in your life have, like Simple Green, become a part of your life? How many things that once had no meaning (literally) now become filled with meaning, even if only when you are looking closely?

This moment has been brought to you by PineSol. What was that again?