Saturday, March 19, 2011

Sometimes Love Gets Gross

Nanny (my grandma) and I were home alone yesterday, and today I had to make sure that she was packed and ready to go with one of her nieces for a weekend adventure in Annapolis. (Adventures at 90! So amazing.)

As we were packing her bag, she told me to go into the bathroom and drain her denture container and clean off the dentures. Instantly, I went into cringe mode, trying to figure out if I could get out of that one. I really appreciate healthy teeth (maybe obsessively), but I have a huge aversion to other people's teeth. Becoming a dentist was never a dream of mine.

I did it anyway, singing and laughing to make it less painful. When I was done, I texted my mom to tell her of my heroic deed. She texted back, "Love gets gross a lot of the time!"

Indeed. Another lesson learned. Another moment to steady my compass and open my eyes to see a bigger picture. Love is much more than words, and the working out of love gets messy and often uncomfortable. Today, it was dentures that needed to be cleaned so that Nanny could have peace in her heart about going on the adventure. Tonight, it might be cleaning the kitchen or some other unknown task ahead. Ten years from now, love will continue to look like something, or it's not love. My conclusion: a lazy, tidy lover is no lover at all.


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