Sweep and Edit

My husband and I have pets, but everyone says they are preparing us for when we have children. I agree to an extent. Though I can't put a kid in a kennel while Brian and I are at work. And I really can't imagine a kid screaming louder than Lance's bark, but I'm probably speaking too soon.

I hope kids are not as dirty as the animals. The dog tracks in so much dirt from outside, I sometimes think we live in a dirt pit. If we don't sweep, it starts to look one. The cat has clumps of fur all over the house, and the Advantage is apparently no match for all the fleas this year. Whatever the medicine does kill, kitty leaves behind bits of dead fleas wherever he sits or lays. It's so gross. I've been using all the non-toxic treatments I can find to get rid of them.

In many ways, I don't think pet ownership and having kids should be compared. Apples and oranges, really. The time spent caring for something (or someone) other than yourself is the main comparison I absolutely see. Time is one of the biggest sacrifices when you have pets or children.

The whole scenario reminds me of editing. Not a perfect metaphor, I know. But I've got sweeping the floor on the brain, and how many times as writers are we cleaning up our manuscripts? Trying to make them perfect. But somehow, the dirt comes back. Or someone else sees dirt that we didn't, and we have to sweep all over again. Sweep! Sweep! Sweep! Editing is a process, and a long cycle.

For me, it's actually fun. I don't love sweeping, but I do love editing. Having the story out there makes it all the more exciting to sweep it into the tale it's meant to be. I would certainly rather be editing than sweeping the floor. But I do love my animals, so I guess that helps when it comes to cleaning up after them. I guess they really are preparing me for children. Not soon....but someday.