RIP Whirlpool

What a week it has been over here, which started last Saturday evening when our youngest daughter became acutely unwell, which quickly resulted in an ambulance being dispatched, the wonders of A&E at stupid o’clock, and sleep deprivation for the week that followed This week I had originally had no less than eight appointments and business leads to undertake, but with a poorly little one requiring close monitoring, all of my appointments were cancelled and on my inactive buttocks I sat.

Since the start of this year, I have been chasing potential leads like a demented dog, partly with passion, partly due to the unknown of which leads have an amazing opportunity at the end of them. Now, through just one unforeseen event, my daughter's poor health, everything changed. No leads could be chased, no A game could be played, I just had to sit and become a human being rather than my usual human doing status.

I know I am an advocate for all things positive, but even I was restless about what would happen to my business if I was doing nothing active for my business. However, as our twelve year old kindly reminds me on a frequent basis, I am annoyingly positive, so I started to look at what was the situation trying to teach me. Through sleep deprivation and the need to be still and present for my daughter, I started running my business differently. My Facebook business page became just that; a business page, with all jovial or family life insights no longer being shared. I started drawing and painting more than I would normally have time for during my working week. I started looking at objects before me and capturing the mindful moment in a photo and sharing with others sitting on their buttocks and flicking through Instagram.

It was all going so well until my usual kooky electrical energy started to go all out and four light bulbs blew in four days, and just when I could not be anymore destructive, in the still of the night, as my little bears snuggled down for the night, the newly cleaned Whirlpool washing machine let out the loudest and highest pitch squeals. The noise it emitted can only be compared to thirty angry and menopausal dinner ladies all scrapping a large metal pan with a metal spoon at the same time. Not a gentle and curious sound like panpipes and the wind blowing in the wilderness, oh no, full on "LISTEN UP MOTHER F*CKER, WE HAVE A MESSAGE FOR YOU." With Hubs away this week, the only message I could possibly think of was a text message to my husband, complete with video footage of the thirty angry dinner ladies symphony, saying the washing machine had died. Bless him, if he was expecting a booty call, he was sorely disappointed.

Anyhow, yesterday, our daughter finally returned to health, and Hubs finally returned from his conference, where we promptly bonded over the monotonous task of looking at integrated washing machines with a quick delivery time. There is the secret to our marriage right there, no booty calls and comparing washing machine brands and reviews. It was only this morning, during my usual shower time epiphany that I suddenly thought "What if my washing machine dying symbolises an end to a cycle in my life?" I mean it. Let us not forget just how loud it was, a real notice me level of attention. What if the Universe, my very soul, and my Whirlpool, were all telling me to recognise this very different week, in terms of business conduct, is now the start of a new cycle, the old way had to come to an abrupt end as it was not as sufficient as it should be?

Out of interest, I started to look at my business pages and how they had been affected by my new ways of working. Well, what do you know? Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram had all increased in followers. How on Earth? I had a beautiful moment where I came to realise, that my place on this earth (and your place too) is about reaching out and touching those who need you most. If your paths are meant to cross, they will cross, your souls will find a way to facilitate this connection. We make choices every day (and not always about washing machine brands) and whilst I absolutely believe in free will and the like, there is certainly some greater power that is beyond our control and simply just meant to be.

I could give you many examples of this over the years, some naughty than others, but as my late Gran always said, one should not air their dirty laundry in public, and ladies and gentlemen, I currently have a lot of dirty laundry.