Enlightenment?

There is an old Zen proverb that says, Before Enlightenment, chop wood and carry water. After Enlightenment, chop wood and carry water.

Courtesy of Morguefile, from here^

Sometimes I think it speaks to the fact that regardless of the state of our being, the simplicity of manual labor feeds our souls.

 Courtesy of Morguefile, from here^.

Other times, I think that it speaks to the idea that through simple, repetitive tasks, we might find clarity of thought and mind and perhaps eventually reach enlightenment.

Courtesy of Morguefile, from here^

 

And then there is the possibility that it refers to something else, something we can't yet see in our unenlightened state of being.

Courtesy of Morguefile, from here^

What I am positive it does not refer to is laundry. Dan and Clementine and I have washed, dried, hanged (hung?), folded, and stored four loads of laundry this evening in an effort to catch up and possibly even get a bit ahead this week since we have weekend plans. Clementine protested loudly and at great length about the unfairness of it all. The only thing keeping me from whining is my tenuous grasp on propriety. Dan is stoic, taking it like a man. 

Courtesy of Morguefile, from here^

Who cares about flying cars. How about some self-cleaning laundry? 

Aerocar, image courtesy of the LOC^

Namaste