How to Wash Dishes

There I was, eating and drinking until my hunger was satisfied, not appreciating the dishes that played such an underrated role. A scratch-resistant surface, shaped with just the right dimensions to hold our food—the unsung heroes of our survival. I had never thought much about the process of washing dishes, not until I had to learn. As a child, I was spoiled. I had no knowledge of washing dishes. I ate, I drank, and I brought my dishes to the sink, forgetting about them until I saw them again on the table, freshly cleaned and filled with food. Sure, I probably washed them here and there—mostly when I was yelled at for not helping with chores—but beyond that, I didn’t think much about it. That changed when my mother was no longer living under the same roof, and I had to face the tedious reality of washing dishes myself. I was caught off guard the first few times I was asked to wash dishes for the entire family. Wow, is this actually something you can get tired of doing? We were a family of four, so the number of dishes was manageable, but even so, I found myself exhausted at one point, realizing just how much I disliked this part of life. I had never considered that my mother did this every single day, nor the annoyance it must have been for her—someone who had likely gone through the same learning process as we all do. Love her to death. To discipline myself in washing dishes, I relied on a mixture of thoughts, actions, games, and music. My mind would start rambling about different scenarios—What if that person said X because she secretly hates me?—before the thought faded into the background, replaced by the music playing in my head. I’d start singing Solo quédate un momento (Just stay for a moment) quietly so as not to annoy my partner (who does the cooking, by the way). I also played a game of patience, purposely letting the faucet run at a slow trickle, convincing myself that it helped me take things easy. And that’s how I learned to wash dishes: a touch of magic, the fear of my future wife yelling at me, music, and little mind games to keep myself entertained. Conclusion Step away from your computer once in a while and wash your dishes. If you’re not the one doing them, take a moment to appreciate the person who does. Sooner or later, your time will come, and you’ll be the one worrying about having clean dishes to put food in your mouth. Might as well start practicing now.

Mar 15, 2025 - 14:36

There I was, eating and drinking until my hunger was satisfied, not appreciating the dishes that played such an underrated role. A scratch-resistant surface, shaped with just the right dimensions to hold our food—the unsung heroes of our survival. I had never thought much about the process of washing dishes, not until I had to learn.

As a child, I was spoiled. I had no knowledge of washing dishes. I ate, I drank, and I brought my dishes to the sink, forgetting about them until I saw them again on the table, freshly cleaned and filled with food. Sure, I probably washed them here and there—mostly when I was yelled at for not helping with chores—but beyond that, I didn’t think much about it. That changed when my mother was no longer living under the same roof, and I had to face the tedious reality of washing dishes myself.

I was caught off guard the first few times I was asked to wash dishes for the entire family. Wow, is this actually something you can get tired of doing? We were a family of four, so the number of dishes was manageable, but even so, I found myself exhausted at one point, realizing just how much I disliked this part of life. I had never considered that my mother did this every single day, nor the annoyance it must have been for her—someone who had likely gone through the same learning process as we all do. Love her to death.

To discipline myself in washing dishes, I relied on a mixture of thoughts, actions, games, and music. My mind would start rambling about different scenarios—What if that person said X because she secretly hates me?—before the thought faded into the background, replaced by the music playing in my head. I’d start singing Solo quédate un momento (Just stay for a moment) quietly so as not to annoy my partner (who does the cooking, by the way). I also played a game of patience, purposely letting the faucet run at a slow trickle, convincing myself that it helped me take things easy.

And that’s how I learned to wash dishes: a touch of magic, the fear of my future wife yelling at me, music, and little mind games to keep myself entertained.

Conclusion

Step away from your computer once in a while and wash your dishes. If you’re not the one doing them, take a moment to appreciate the person who does. Sooner or later, your time will come, and you’ll be the one worrying about having clean dishes to put food in your mouth. Might as well start practicing now.