A RESOLUTION I CAN KEEP

“I think I’ve found my New Year’s resolution for this year.” I said as I stepped back and admired the kitchen drawer I’d just cleaned out.

My son Alex came into the room. “You know it’s almost March, right? I don’t think anyone is talking about New Year’s resolutions anymore.”

“Exactly! That’s because no one can keep one past January!” I pulled open the glass storage container drawer. “I cleaned this out a few weekends ago and now I’ve moved on to the junk drawer.”

“Which junk drawer?”

I pointed to the one that used to keep all the take out menus, birthday candles, batteries, and bird identifier books. “This one didn’t make any sense.” I opened the drawer to show him what I’d accomplished. “But now I’ve decided it’s the bird books, binoculars, and birthday candles drawer!”

He looked back at me. “Where’s everything else?”

I pointed to the garbage pail where stacks of take-out menus were on the top.

“What? You threw out the take-out menus! Why?” Alex went over to the garbage pail to see the dozens upon dozens of menus laying on top.

“When was the last time we used one of them?” I asked as I put my hands on my hips, ready to justify my action.

Alex thought about it for a second before he shrugged his shoulders. “That’s true.” He looked over at several items that were laying on a paper towel on the counter top. “What’s that all about?” He picked up what looked to be some kind of filter.

“That’s the I-don’t-know-what-it-is pile. I’m waiting for your Dad to let me know if he recognizes any of it.”

My husband Steven came into the kitchen. “What do you need me to recognize?”

I pointed to the items on the paper towel. “I found those in the drawer I just cleaned out. Do I need to save any of those?”

Steven picked through the pile finally holding up a long plastic tube. “We need to keep this.” He said as he handed it to me and started to walk away.

“Wait!” I called after him holding up the item. “What is this?”

“I’m pretty sure it goes with the food processor.” He called over his shoulder.

“The food processor?” I looked more closely at the tube. “What’s this have to do with the food processor?”

“I can’t remember right now. But we need to keep it.” He said as he walked out of the room.

I looked over at Alex. “Okay.” I sighed as I tossed it back in my newly organized drawer. “But this is exactly how a junk drawer continues.”

“Hey.” Alex patted me on the shoulder. “I think this resolution is really working for you.”

I smiled. “You do? Thanks.”

He opened up the spice cabinet. “Wow!” He could see all the spices lined up in size order, each label facing forward. “When did you do this one?”

“Last night before I went to bed.” I reached over his shoulder to adjust one of the spices. “All the expired ones are in the trash and everything else is lined up ready to use!”

Alex nodded his head. “I’m really liking this.” He looked over at me and smiled. “So when do you think you’re going to clean out the freezer?”

I shook my head slowly back and forth. “Baby steps, Mister. We’re on baby steps right now.”