Imagine my surprise. A few months ago I came into the kitchen. To my shock, I saw the words “wipe when through” written with a big black sharpie on our beautiful bamboo cutting board. We keep it next to the sink.
“What is that all about?” I was thinking to myself. Still feeling mildly innocent, I asked my husband. Surely, my offenses were not THAT bad.
“I’m tired of having to clean up after you guys! Wipe the cutting board when you’re done with it,” he said.
OK, noted. Our (my?) lack of tidiness must have bothered him enough to write this onto our beloved cutting boards in sharpie pen. Sharpie!
The Reminder Worked
I have to admit that after he wrote those words onto the cutting board, I did pay more attention to wiping it no matter how much in a rush I was. How could I not? I couldn’t escape the reminder! (This is partly a lesson about how powerful it is to have written reminders?!)
After a little while, I thought maybe we could remove the sharpie now. It had done its job.
But it wouldn’t wipe off so easily. So, it’s still there but it is getting a little paler.
Another Meaning Comes To Mind
As I’m thinking about this expression “wipe when through” I see another meaning for it.
“Wipe when through” seems like great advice when it comes to getting over something.
Maybe somebody got upset with me. Or I got upset with somebody else. Or I worried about something. “Wipe when through”.
Occasionally, … okay, more than occasionally, I catch myself thinking about something over and over again – even though the situation is over.
Whatever was said was said. Whatever was done was done. When it’s done it’s done.
- If you have to apologize go do it.
- If you have to take some action to make it right go do it.
- If you can’t control the situation move on – don’t let it live in your brain and heart rent-free. (Easier said than done?!?)
By the way, it seems men have a much easier time letting go of those things and moving on than women. Have you noticed that, too?
Maybe I’m almost grateful for my husband’s outburst with the sharpie on our cutting board. I have let go of it in any case (although initially, I thought about getting the acetone out of the garage to clean it off).
“Wipe when through.”
I’m Curious
What can you think of that you might want to let go of?
