“How many years have you been cleaning now?”
“17 years.”
This was her answer around the dining table.
17 years.
I couldn’t imagine doing anything for 17 years. But then again, I’m not like my mum.
She has incredible patience.
The thing is, she beams when she talks about her job as a cleaner. It’s more to her than that. She has a deep sense of purpose. Nothing lights up her up more than getting a text from one of her elderly clients saying how grateful they were to see her, or a young mother of three saying how wonderful it is to come back to a clean home.
That’s not to say it’s all rainbows and sunshines. It’s not. But she does get to choose her own hours, travel lots, and receive countless Christmas gifts.
So yeah.
Maybe my mum’s got it right.