Saturday, we had a friend of a friend lay new tile in one of our bathrooms.

Prior to his arrival, I went through the different shoe scenarios in my head. I quickly decided that no, it just didn’t make sense to ask him to take his shoes off. He’d be in and out of the house and working on top of it all. Nothing about shoe removal was remotely sane.

I admit, this did cause me panic. A lot of it. I thought of how to minimize areas he’d walk in and through and how best to go about it. In the end, though, I realized what I really needed was to just let go completely and allow him to do his thing, unhindered by me and my stupid shoe shit.

So I did. In and out he went. And out we followed. I knew it  would be a bad idea to stick around, plus we had a hospital tour scheduled. I always think it’s easier to disappear and just let People do their thing.

When we arrived home, the bathroom was almost completed, save for the grout that still needs to be done. But damn how good — how much better — it is looking in there! I was pretty bummed to learn once the old linoleum floor came off, that the original tile could not be salvaged … it was that old 20’s octagonal tile with a gorgeous bright blue border. It made me swoon, but alas, was not in the cards.

After he left, I realized the entire hallway and stairs were covered with a dust-like layer. Just part of the job and not an intentional thing, I know this but People, it took EVERYTHING in me not to bust out a bucket of water and go to town scrubbing. The only reason I didn’t was because we had dinner plans with friends.

But I kept thinking about it, hence my vow to wash floors yesterday, hence my still going vow to wash them since yesterday was such a wash — no pun intended.

These are important moments of practice for me. In letting go and ALLOWING. It’d be one thing if our house was a fifthly mess. But it’s far from it. I think I can take and handle some up and down shoe trafficking.

At least, I’m trying to learn how to be, to let go. Less of this stuff I cling to that isn’t important, and more of what is.