Gum on the Carpet

Family was coming over. We were all cleaning and we were almost done. I went into my son’s room to inspect and his version of clean was most definitely not clean. So I brought in a trash bag and decided to help him clean. I pulled all the trash out from under the desk. I pulled out all the loose legos, figurines, and playing cards. I pulled it all out and told him to find a spot or it goes in the trash. It had a few meltdowns, but he was handling it overall. But as I continued pulling trash, and orange peels, and old school papers out from every nook and cranny the frustration started to build. I began to hold the anger at bay. No food allowed upstairs on the new carpet. That’s the rule and that had obviously been broken time and time again. And his unapologetic attitude was getting to me.


Then I saw it. Gum on the new carpet. A little piece of pink gum stuck in the carpet. I looked at that thing and looked at my son. “Did you chew gum and get it on the carpet.” “No mom. I swear it wasn’t me”. “Look at your room… of course it was you. I can’t believe you chewed gum and got it on your floor!”


By this time my other son had turned around and was looking at me too. I felt all the emotions i was controlling bubble to the surface. I felt the tears forming in my eyes. I looked at that piece of gum and it was the final straw. I started picking at the gum. I grabbed a towel and got an end wet. I asked my other son to bring me cleaner. This gum was stuck good. I picked and picked and picked at the gum. And the tears came. “Do you boys understand what Dad and I do for you? Do you understand all the money we spend? This carpet isn’t even paid for yet. Do you understand the time we sacrifice and the things we do each week for you? We clean your clothes. We cook you food. We do the dishes. We do everything so that you can have a good life and I just want you to care. I just want you to care. All you do is care about yourselves.”


My son looked at me with tears in his eyes and said, “Why do you do it mom?” “Because I love you.” “But why do you do it?” “Because I love you but I want you to show that you care.” “I do care.” “Then act like it.” “But why do you do it then.” “Because I love you. I care for you. Just act like you care.”


That gum was still stuck. But I scrubbed and picked and pulled and slowly it came off the carpet. But the feelings from the gum remained. The gum was so much more. As I was asking my sons to show they cared I realized that this little piece of gum represented it all. The gum was feeling like I am barely keeping my head above water throughout the week. The gum was all the fights I break up. All the peacekeeping and training with my kids. The gum was past hurts from family members. The gum was feeling helpless as I watch relationships crumble. The gum was having to be strong for my siblings. The gum was having to be strong for my children. The gum was keeping all the emotions inside… deep inside. The gum was everything and yet it was nothing. The gum was gone.


I jumped in the shower and had a good cry. A real cry. A good sob actually. It felt good. I came out with a clear head. We all have gum on the carpet of our lives. And it seems like it will be stuck there forever. But it doesn’t have to be. It can be cleaned up. A little stain may remain, but the gunk can be purged. And you will come out the other end. You will make it okay in the end. And even when you feel no one is showing they care, they do. And even when you feel like you are going to drown, you won’t. The struggles are real. The emotions can be raw. But in the end… it’s worth it. And blessings come to those to don’t give up and persevere to the end.