Our building has finally come to the end of a long maintenance project, and the final step was a professional window washing to clear away the last of the construction dust. What a great way to welcome the holiday season!

The long awaited day came, and I wrestled the screens out of the way before the team’s arrival so they could reach every nook and cranny. But the next morning, all was still hazy, splattered and smudged.

As I was craning my neck to inspect the defects, I drew my finger along the glass. Much to my dismay, and then embarrassment, and then amusement, I realized that the smudges were all on the inside of the windowpanes! I’d waited six months and then silently sat in resentment over the lack of help, when all along all I had to do is bust out the windex.

Ten minutes later and all was sparkling.

Dear ones,

May we own up to our smudges.

May we tend what needs tending. 

May we help things to shine.