Whistle While You Work

I hate chores. I did when I was little and I do as an adult. Getting me to make my bed as a kid was like pulling teeth for my Mother. Every morning she would ask me at breakfast if I’d done it and I would always roll my head and neck (a mere eye roll did not convey the enormity of my distain for the task), harrumph, and trudge back upstairs – ever so slowly, and make my bed. It took me, what all of 3 minutes to do it but it was a tortuous 3 minutes.

I also was assigned the duty of feeding my dog, Patches, and the family dog, Fawn. And feed and clean out the cage of my parakeets, Daiquiri and Scooter. The nerve of my parents, expecting me to feed and care for my own pets. What were they trying to do, teach me responsibility or something? Well, I didn’t have to like it. And I didn’t have to do it with a good attitude – there that’ll show ‘em.

After all, who did my parents want me to be, Snow White? Boy, she was a real case. Her stepmother sends her off into the woods with the woodsman who has secret instructions to kill her, and bring back her heart. Nice. He decides to take the high road and let Snow White live, telling her to run away and he’ll fake out the Queen with the heart of an animal (like ‘ol Queeny knows a human heart from a pig’s heart). Snow White, as we know ends up at the home of the seven dwarfs where she is offered free room and board if she does all the cooking, cleaning, sewing and washing.

This is where the Princess and I diverge off each other’s tracks. She just lights right up at that invitation. She acts as if nothing would please her more than to spend her life cleaning up after these seven messy little men. Birds start flitting in, squirrels jump in the window and soon the whole forest is lending a hand in the joyous chore-a-thon.

Does Snow White fail to realize what got her into this predicament? Has she forgotten the whole “kill her and bring me her heart” mandate by her stepmother? And what about her life? Doesn’t she want to get on with her life? Meet somebody and settle down with her own family? She seems so content to stay put and be the mistress of this little chore-filled house.

She doesn’t even recognize her stepmother when she comes to the cottage and gives her the poisoned apple. She is so cheery and welcoming, oblivious to her impending doom. (All that dust has gone to her head.) Finally, evil seemingly prevails and Snow White falls under the spell of the apple’s poison. (Evil is sneaky that way.) The dwarfs think she is dead. Luckily, she isn’t and we know that love revives her (and saves her from a life of chores – my favorite part).

Hard to admit as it is, I think Snow White has it right all along. Whistling while I work is the better way. Harrumphing around while doing boring chores is just what Satan wants. He is trying to steal my joy at every turn. All day he is at my heels following me around seeing where or when he can grasp an opportunity to put me in a bad mood or create strife.

Satan isn’t after my stuff; he’s after my joy. Nothing makes him madder than to see me having a dodge ball kind of day yet still be smiling, laughing and whistling a happy little tune. And nothing would please me more than to displease Satan. (I’m kind of contrary that way.) So excuse me for a second while a take a lesson out of Snow White’s play book and go wash the dishes in my sink - with a song on my heart and a smile on my lips.

Heigh-ho, heigh-ho, it’s off to work I go!


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