A Cabinet Full of Water Bottles

The click, clack of my keyboard was interrupted by a nine-hundred pound elephant stomping around upstairs.  I’d been lost in the moment, my fingers moving swiftly over the keys as ideas took shape on the page.  The elephant, also known as my son, stomped back and forth between his bedroom and loft.  Between stomps, the hollow sound of empty water bottles bouncing and rolling around on the floor, along with a scrape of silverware and plates, and a clattering of them all together.  Then more stomping, slower now and more measured, as the elephant began his descent.  

I shook my head, slowing my fingers, wondering how the kid, even as tall as he is, can possibly sound like a two ton elephant.  I considered turning to see what was happening.  I waited.  After all, at fifteen, he prefers to operate under his own terms with no unnecessary interaction with mom.

Heavy feet pounded into the kitchen and then a clatter as bottles, plates, forks and who knows what else fell into the sink.  The whoosh of water and I knew my apparent indifference was the right choice. With a discreet elbow thrust and silent “yes”, I turned back to the work at hand.  

Today I’m celebrating a cabinet full of water bottles, the result of all that stomping and clattering.  Most days, this cabinet is bare.  It’s inhabitants scattered across the floor, under the bed, in a crevice of a chair and a backpack.  Most days, those bottles are accompanied by forgotten plates or empty wrappers.  

It’s a battle and one that I don’t always choose to fight.  In fact fighting it usually results in real fights, and that’s good for no one.  So a while back I decided to use a little humor to combat the empty cabinet and trashed loft situation.  

One evening, I simply collected all of the water bottles, plates, silverware or garbage in the loft and brought them downstairs.  In a somewhat sarcastic, sing-songy voice, I claimed, “Man, I’m going to make some serious money this way…” and went about tallying up my loot.  I figured I’d simply charge $1 for each thing I had to pick up.

There was a bit of laughter followed by, “No. No I’m not going to pay you to pick up my stuff.” With laughter of my own, I replied, “Oh, yes, you are.  And you owe me $8,” as I hung up a tally chart.

It may have taken nearly two months, but I’m celebrating this win.  I have a cabinet full of water bottles and I didn’t do any of it.  This time…

While this celebration may be short lived, after all what works one day doesn’t always work the next, I choose to celebrate it.  Life is too short to skip a celebration no matter how big or small, temporary or lasting it may be.  

I’d love to know… What are you celebrating today?