The Work in the Home

Today, I spent the whole day at home. My day was quite different from my Saturdays for the past weeks. I did not go out with a friend. My appointments were cancelled. The only thing left for me to do was the household chores. I looked at the pile of laundry in my room and another pile near the bathroom. I was tempted to watch TV all day but I knew I had to wash our clothes. The sun was rising high and it would be a waste.

I dragged myself to do the laundry while listening to music and some audio seminars. While washing our clothes, I looked back to the days when I was younger. I did not like washing clothes. My older sister and my mother did it for me. When I was old enough to wash my own clothes, my parents purchased a washing machine. It’s almost like I worked with washing machine all my life. Hand wash? What is that? But today was different. I washed our clothes with my own bare hands. It has been like this since I came to Manila to find career opportunities. It would be impractical to purchase a washing machine because my brother and I move from one apartment to another. Besides, I couldn’t afford one yet, not now, maybe later. The cost of living in Manila is very much higher than in Baguio and the Mountain Province.

Our Improvised Window "Sampayan". We placed a bar on our window to serve as clothesline because we do not have a laundry area in our apartment.

I would bruise my hands once in a while when I do the laundry. I could say that I learned the hard way. But I do not like to complain. In fact, I learned to find joy in doing the laundry. I would be reminded of the words a friend once told me. “80% of the apostolate is done in the home.” I believe her. Making the home pleasant for the family is noble. I would like to think that Mary, the mother of Jesus, also did a lot of work in the home. Perhaps she also washed the clothes of Joseph and Jesus with her own hands. Perhaps, I am almost sure of it; she cooked for them and cleaned their humble home in Nazareth. Perhaps she even developed muscles for doing all the work in the home, not only for Jesus and Joseph, but also for her extended family like Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist. Perhaps, she even baked Jesus’ last supper. And she did all these with joy and simplicity. Of course all of these were not written in the bible but we know that Mama Mary worked silently, passing almost unnoticed because she wanted to stay hidden so that only Jesus will shine in the limelight.

Because of this, my perspective about work in the home changed. I salute all the housewives, especially my Mom, who dedicated their lives for the work in the home. And I have great respect for the maids who take care of the home, making the house pleasant for the family.