“Those that see it, those that don’t”

Take a look at this picture.

It belongs to a friend of mine. (Don’t worry; she gave me permission to share.) 😉

There are two kinds of people in this world. Those that see it and those that don’t.

I am without a doubt, one of those that see “it.” It’s no secret that I like my house clean! Oh wait. Let me clarify. I like the look of my house when it’s clean. Unbeknownst to my husband, the process of cleaning my house is not actually enjoyable for me. I mean really, who wants to spend their “spare” time picking up other people’s belongings?! Scrubbing toilets and dishes, washing clothes, hanging up the clean laundry. Ugh, I loathe hanging up the laundry!

It’s the worst.

Back to my point. I hate the process; however, I really enjoy the outcome! Not for long, mind you. I have three kids, (four if you include the husband.) But how great is that moment when your whole house is clean?! You can sit back on your couch, put your feet up, enjoy a glass of wine and be at peace with your surroundings.

Total Zen.

If you are a Mom reading this, you know that I am lying, because your little terrors angels are a step behind you ripping everything apart. Or, your husband. I don’t know about you, but I can’t focus on anything, when my house is a mess. It’s like a representation of my mental state. If you ever walk into my home and it looks like an episode of “Hoarders” was filmed here, it is in your best interest to leave. Immediately.

By all means, I try my best. I organize and simplify the steps, but I have three kids and with each kid, you get more stuff and more mess. I realized the other day (while cleaning the house of course), that I spend more time putting items back where they belong, than the time it takes for vacuuming, laundry, and dishes combined. Putting things back in their original place! How much time could be saved if the other people that live here would put things back where they belong?! Toys in the toy bin, laundry in the laundry basket, dishes in the sink. It’s like a scavenger hunt to see what kind of treasures I can find on a daily basis! I’m not gonna lie, it drives me absolutely batty sometimes! No matter how hard I try, I will never understand, because I am one of those people that “see it.”

Have you looked at the picture? Do you see IT?

Here’s what I see. A wife that tried her darnedest to simplify a process.

Problem: Her husband throws his socks on the floor, beside the bed, every night. Now, there must be a logical explanation for this?! Some kind of obstruction or barricade that is keeping him from entering the laundry room? Clearly his legs are broken and his crutches won’t fit through the door! Or, NOT. He’s fine. His legs are perfectly fine, but every night he removes his socks and drops them on the floor, beside the bed.

Solution: The wife places a laundry basket in the exact location of removal.

Do you see it now?? Mind. Blowing.

Now here’s the funny part. Not everyone can “see it.” (Well, not before I point out the obvious.) How do I know this, you ask? Because I showed my husband. I am someone that totally “gets” the insanity of it! The wife made it as simple as possible. Yet, the process of putting the socks into the basket could NOT be done. Her husband just doesn’t “get it.”

I thought to myself, this is the perfect example to show to my husband! He is known for leaving his socks beside the bed too. Surely, he will see the hilarity of this picture!

I waited until he got home from work that day. I couldn’t just send this sort of thing in a text; I had to see the reaction on his face when he saw it. I wanted to share the moment with him. That instant when his brain had processed what his eyes had seen, and we’d laugh, and laugh, and laugh about it. I tried to conceal the smirk on my face as I handed him my phone, where the photo had been stored for easy access. He took the phone from my hand. There was at least 30 seconds of silence as he analyzed what he was looking at. I said to him “isn’t that hilarious?” And he says to me “why would someone leave an empty laundry basket beside the bed??”

I could tell by his expression, that he was not joking. He wasn’t messing with me, he was actually puzzled. And so there I am thinking to myself, it does not get any more obvious than this photo, and he still doesn’t “get it”. He doesn’t see the damn socks?! How is that POSSIBLE?!

That’s when I “got it”.

He will never see the socks.

It’s never going to happen, because he’s just one of “those people.”

It’s not his fault. I actually felt a little bit sorry for him. I mean really, to be that oblivious. But then it hit me. Why on earth do I feel sorry for him!? Someone feel sorry for ME! One, because I want to be the person that doesn’t see the socks! That mounding pile of dirty, sweaty, smelly socks beside the bed. How liberating that must feel, to walk past those dirty socks day in and day out. And two, because I am the person, that will have to pick up those dirty, sweaty, smelly socks for the rest of my days.

Why you ask?

Because my husband doesn’t even see them.

By: Sara Park