On the Dryer

I use this dryer that doesn't always dry my clothes.

At first, I started to think about what I was doing wrong and what I could control. Is it the settings? Is the lint trap clean? Am I sure that I started it? Were the clothes just....extra damp?

After a few times, I realized, "Oh! This is just the way it is." This is an older dryer. It doesn't dry as well as it used to.

In the beginning, I was dissatisfied with the dryer. I expected that it would dry my clothes. I tried to control how it worked. I assumed that I was at fault.

When I realized that it was just...the way it was...I found a sense of ease. In this house, I just run the dryer twice.

Our perception of control (and the illusion of control) matters a great deal. Our expectations around annoyances, sufferings, and cravings matter a great deal.

The dryer is the same, but my relationship with it is very different than it used to be.