I Was Busy All Day, Yet Did Nothing

A day full of tasks that never make it to a checklist

By the time the day comes to an end, I reflect and really wonder where the hours went. The sink was cleaned, only to be filled again. Dishes were made, eaten, and soon forgotten. Clothes were moved from one corner of the house to another, only to be put back where they came from. I was on my feet, constantly moving, answering calls, wiping things up, fixing small problems that no one else even noticed.

Still, when someone casually asks, What did you do all day? I stop and think.

I have no idea. None of the things I did have a name. None of them deserve an applause. And there’s no proof of any of them.

I cant even single out a moment and say that this was my achievement. My work vanishes as soon as its done. A floor that has been cleaned is going to be walked on. A meal that has been prepared is going to be eaten. A home that is calm now, is only waiting for the next wave of noise.

By the end of the day, I feel tired like sleep cant fix it. Its not because the work was difficult but because the work was invisible. Its because if you are busy without getting any recognition, it slowly convinces you that you have’nt done anything at all.

But I know the truth. The day was successful because I was there. The disorder became less because I kept moving. And it didnt take a thing from me, even if it looks like nothing.