Soap, Suds, and Nostalgia

I’ve been especially nostalgic lately. I’m not sure why. Maybe it’s the beginning of a new year or the girls’ impending third birthday. This morning, as I sat and folded socks, I remembered how much I loved washing and folding the girls’ laundry when they were in the hospital, especially right after they were born. Due to their fragile nature, we weren’t allowed to participate in their care, even tasks as simple as changing diapers or bedding. Although I wasn’t worried about our bond as mother and child, that inability to participate did make me feel a little detached from the situation. In the absence of being able to hold them – or really even to touch them – doing their laundry was my way of connecting with my daughters. Although laundry is often thrown into the category of mundane and tedious tasks that parents often take for granted, it was a lifeline for me.

It’s funny the things you remember.