In the attempt to kill germs and keep the house clean (don’t comment, John), I have started wiping the handles on the refrigerator. It wasn’t one of the obvious cleaning sites, but once I thought about my family’s “hot spots”, it was definitely on the top 5. Those handles get pulled from the first light of morning until the wee wee hours of the night.
The fridge has been on the blink for years. The repairman recently told us there was nothing further he could do. I have mourned it’s slow decline, and scarily enough wondered where refrigerators go when they no longer work. After a not so recent trip to the Virgin Islands, I remembered the answer…..but more on that later.
When we built our home, all of our seven children still lived under our roof. They aged from 2 to 17. The kitchen was, and still is, the center of our home. It’s where they begin their morning with breakfast, and where they end it hugging my neck as I do the dishes and telling me about their day. The refrigerator has housed many Thanksgiving Turkeys, Christmas hams, items for countless parties, but more importantly, staples for my family’s daily meals.
I know many of you are thinking, with all of the major things going on in this crazy world right now, am I really reading about this lady’s refrigerator? But stay with me. What is more important than the obvious reason of keeping food items cold INSIDE the fridge, is the OUTSIDE of the fridge. It is covered with pictures, sayings, and chore charts. It has Pope Francis quotes, my god-children’s photos, and a good grade from school that they are still excited about. My children, and other family members, put their photo on the fridge…..sometimes even two of the same picture. People KNOW what is hanging from it and what may have fallen off, but they also know that my heart loves all of them. Every time John and I pull that handle, we pray for the person that we see. The kids still move their pictures on top of their siblings pictures, craving the attention of being first. They still count to see how many times they can see their face and who has the most items, too.
Some people may be very particular about their refrigerator and keep it completely clean, but I think you should do what you love. Put your diet quote next to your recipe for Pecan Pie. Place an upcoming Save the Date announcement next to the 15 year old Christmas card that you love. Let your children display their artwork and put 5 of the same picture of themselves for them to prove they're your favorite child. And let something as simple as a cluttered refrigerator bring happiness to your family.
- Would love to see your refrigerator face. Please post a pic.