My little Gnudren,

Mrs Gnu always used to tell old Gnu that Spring Cleaning was a therapeutic and invigorating thing to do. So Old Gnu set aside 3 mornings for Spring Cleaning. He reports his progress. The first morning started with moving a large quantity of books in order to reveal a corner that hadn’t been cleaned or even seen a duster for a long time. It was to become a process of discovery. Old Gnu discovered a very important book –   “British Railways Signalling” – he’d been wanting to read a long time, but had failed to find after many attempts over many months. He was delighted to uncover it. Usually the only way to recover such lost books was to order another one online and the original one would be sure to turn up with predictable immediacy.  He had a quick flick through it, looking at the beautiful colour plates and diagrams of semaphore signals.

Old Gnu looked up at the clock  How could two hours have passed so quickly! It seemed like two minutes since he’d picked up this treasured book. The swift passage of time added weight to Gnu’s understanding of the scripture which says the ‘ a thousand years is as a day to the Lord’. But his total ‘engrossment’, excitement and mental stimulation had left him a trifle exhausted. He made a lovely cafetière of dark roast coffee to recover his energy and since it was gloriously sunny, he drank it sitting in the garden in a very comfortable reclining chair.

Taking a little breather would help him continue his task. Plus it gave him time to be grateful that he had remembered Mrs. Gnu”s exhortation to spring clean. She was right; truly Spring Cleaning was therapeutic and invigorating. He recalled and meditated on further wise injunctions of Mrs. Gnu to great spiritual profit. Thus engaged in his meditation old Gnu fell into a trance, much like the Apostle Peter on the roof top of the house of Simon the Tanner in Joppa –  until he opened his eyes at 1.30pm.

The first morning assigned to Spring Cleaning, however unexpected its course, had led to discovery, mental stimulation and an added depth to Old Gnu’s understanding of the sacred Scriptures.   

The second morning devoted to Spring Cleaning, was unfortunately not as successful as the first. The third morning, once again took an unexpected turn, but was far more successful. Having recently read a Ladybird Book, the Spring Cleaning was preceded by a session of Mindfulness.

Old Gnu was still and calm, and in a heightened state of awareness he became aware of the things around him in a way that he had never seen them before: the Vacuum Cleaner, the dusters, the furniture polish, the J cloth and the mop; and not one of them could do the job of another. As Old Gnu marvelled at these things another thought came to him which without the discipline of Mindfulness would never have occurred to him. Despite his very humble beginnings he had the money to own such tools, and money to spare. It was time to share his wealth and  provide a tiny bit of income to those who were seeking working of this sort.

With heavy heart he sacrificed his desire for further enlightenment through Spring Cleaning to providing just a tiny bit income for someone who needed it.

Vetus Pater Gnu 
Academiae Musicorum et Theologia
Turris LA
VIII Mensis Aprilis MMXXV