Reflections From the Kitchen Sink

Reflections from my Kitchen Sink

by Melinda Campbell

My kids weren’t home, so I wasn’t setting a bad example. My mama is in Heaven and couldn’t reprimand me though I could almost hear a chiding with her thick Scottish brogue. My house, my rules, I thought as I broke into total rebellion and took a handful of Frosted Flakes—yes, straight out of the box—and devoured it with the joy of a two-year-old with his first lollipop.

By handful number three, the adrenaline rush subsided and a wave of dismay overtook me. Is this what my life is going to look like in a few years? Will I be lessened to finding pleasure in Lucy-in-the-chocolate-factory moments that wear out their welcomes so quickly I have emotional whiplash and/or carbohydrate bloating syndrome? (I hear that second option happens as we get older.)

I’ve always had a purpose, a goal in sight. Even when my body let me down and forced my early retirement, I had some direction. I tried to be a good wife and a good mom. Now, I’m a widow, so part one of that is over; part two is waning quickly as I will sooner rather than later be transitioning completely to the spectator and supportive audience member of my boys’ lives.

“What in the world will I do next?” I questioned out loud. (Who cares if that I was talking to myself? My mouth was full of Frosted Flakes. I’m not sure I can sink much lower.)

There are some people who live vicariously through their children. I’m not that girl. My punch-card from youth is full. I don’t need any more holes poked in that thing. Since my last birthday, I’ve gotten my multiple invitations to join AARP and get that new card, but it doesn’t appear that organization has much more to offer than a thousand “special” offers and a “free” insulated cooler bag.

I have taken almost all the Facebook quizzes, so I’m pretty sure I know what is on my social horizon. I also know what I would look like as a male, what my unicorn name would be, and which superhero I am most like. All just breathtaking info to have…or is it allergy season, and my asthma is acting up? I digress…

Truthfully, when life knocks us down a few times, it can become harder and harder to give yourself a valid reason to get up, but we all need to try. I’ve battled depression on and off my whole life. The events of the last several years certainly haven’t helped that.

Through my life, people have looked from the outside in and made plenty of assumptions. I strongly caution against that. What you see isn’t always what you get. Polish and drive can mask a whole lot of unhappiness. I’m living proof of that.

So what keeps Melinda going day-in and day-out? Not dry Frosted Flakes, I can assure you. The reality that even on my worst days someone else is experiencing something more challenging reminds me that we are here to find ways to serve others and lift others up. I am hardly successful at doing that every day, but as I rolled the bag of cereal and close the boxed back, I remembered that is why I am still here.

Even at my age (select a number between 18 and 100), there is more to do. Someone to pray for. Someone to encourage. Someone to help along the way.

If I leave my children anything at all, I hope it is the drive to live outside themselves and always seek to serve others...even in the darkest of times. Share on X

So what now? It appears my immediate purpose will be cleaning out this sink—well, both my literal and figurative ones. Yep, another productive visit at my favorite spot in the house, my kitchen sink.

Until next time…

Melinda

Bio: Melinda Campbell is a retired educator who currently focuses her efforts on raising her two teenaged boys, advocating for individuals with special needs and against drunk driving, and serving in her local community. Melinda has been gaining recognition for her writings labeled “Reflections from my Kitchen Sink” since the tragic death of her husband Michael in 2015. In her stories, she shares observations from her daily life including moments she has as a solo parent, a widow, and a woman who battles significant health issues including fibromyalgia and depression. Her goal is to encourage others through the experiences that are common to so many. Her practical approach to life’s obstacles has become a weekly mainstay for her readers from across the country.