What, no dishwasher?!
My new house has no dishwasher…surprisingly, I’m kinda glad.
I was just reading that 30 minutes a day spent with a loved one has a profound effect on the health of the relationship. Sounds obvious,right!? Yet think about the last time you REGULARLY spent 30 minutes of uninterrupted time with a friend or loved one. No phones, no TV, no screens, no agenda, no rushing off to do something. Just one-on-one time to talk, connect, and relate. This could be a walk, it could be sitting at the table enjoying a meal, playing cards, grabbing a drink…or in our case it could be enjoying conversation over old-fashioned hand washing, drying, and putting away the dishes.
One of the first things we did when we moved into our new cozy little 1959 rambler was buy a Bosch dishwasher. If you’ve never had the utter joy of having this brand of dishwasher, you are missing out! The contrasting experience I’ve had with other dishwashers has led me to vow I’ll never have anything but a Bosch. The things are miraculous…turning out what we call “autoclave” clean dishes. As is the case with most new appliances, we had to wait for delivery.
The problem is, in the time we were without a dishwasher, I found an odd joy in NOT having a dishwasher. I even suggested to my husband that we cancel the order! I discovered that I’d rather keep the newly treasured time together, enjoying conversation while taking in the gorgeous sunset view from our kitchen window; one person washing, one person drying, and both people connecting on a deeper level.
Ok, I admit, we’re an odd bunch. And yeah, if the house had come with a dishwasher, I certainly wouldn’t be removing it! Yet something I’ve learned to treasure about living in older homes is the appreciation for simpler times when the definition of “necessities” was quite different.
One might see our modest abode and think, I just couldn’t live with that!
There are no walk-in closets, no gargantuan master suite with fancy oversized private bathroom, no huge open concept great room with an elaborate kitchen, and yes, NO dishwasher! Eeeek! Just a simple, well-built, peaceful, comfy little house.
Modern amenities are great! New homes that provide tons more space, open floor plans, or sleek new style are enviable. Bosch dishwashers still have my utmost adoration. Our lives can certainly be enhanced as we enjoy all these things. But whether you live in a beautiful new home, a charming older abode, or anything in between, let’s all be a little more cognizant of what really makes a house a home.
Peace. Contentment. Connection with our loved ones. A place to rest. A place to find shelter in the presence of loved ones.
Maybe hand washing, drying, and putting away the dishes together tonight will open your eyes as it has mine. I need that time, and I need the connection a whole lot more than I need autoclave clean dishes awaiting my attention to be put away in the morning. Try it out sometime, and embrace the time it can afford.
