Recently, I stopped by my aunts house to drop off some paperwork. We usually only see each other at Christmas, but this was rather urgent. My aunt doesnt live well, but it has nothing to do with money. Im not stingy, but I firmly believe that cleanliness and order are basic necessities. You can live simply, but its important to keep your home tidy.
Her walls are covered with all sorts of dust collectorsknick-knacks, old dishes, and stacks of empty jam jars, sometimes piled ten or twenty high. In the bathroom sits a litter tray for her cat, which she cleans only once a week. Rubbish is strewn about the floor near your feet. The whole flat smells of drains and spoilt food.
My aunt offered me something to eat and began setting the table. As she laid down the plates, I realised they werent really clean. While she was ladling food out of the saucepan, I took some antibacterial wipes from my bag and started wiping the forks.
She noticed what I was doing. As I poked at my meal, my aunt asked,
Are you not hungry, or do you not like it?
What was I supposed to say? Have you ever found yourself in such an awkward spot? Sometimes, life puts us in situations where honesty and kindness seem to tug us in opposite directions. The true challenge is to approach these moments with understanding and compassion, remembering that everyone has their own way of living, and that respect for others is as important as our own standards.
