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Originally uploaded by laundrylessons.

A couple of months ago I tried to do a feature every week called, Wednesday Wash Wisdom. Problem was I had no great laundry advice. Yeah, I’ve finally learned how to get out most stains, but let’s face it, who wants laundry tips. Go to Tide’s website and some guy called the Laundry Doctor will answer your questions. Now I have a fresh idea for Wednesdays.

My laundry room is sacred to me. This little corner of the house is where I ponder life. My laundry room is the reason I wrote a book called, Lessons from the Laundry. (Still looking for that publisher…contact my agent…Greg Johnston…please) Anyway, I decorated my space just the way I wanted it. A bulletin board, filled with inspirations, cards, pictures, hangs right next to my dryer. On Wednesdays, I’ll share something from my board. Hopefully it will be more enlightening than laundry tips.

A friend sent me a card filled with so much power I stuck it on the board. The card is covered with snappy definitions of life. The one that struck me, especially as the kids began jumping back on the school bus, was: The Adventure of Life is to Learn.

Now some days the greatest adventure I face is learning not to press snooze three times. Because boy does it feel like I’m bungie jumping when I have to get kids on the bus in record time. So I was thinking about what I’ve learned and then the darn book writing process, yes the hours I’ve poured over my manuscript, contacted agents, developed a proposal, came to mind. I never meant to write a book. The random thoughts and musings about raising a severely handicapped daughter, and of course removing grass stains, started to gel into chapters. And those darn type A genes that drive my mind took over. “Hey, you could make this a book.” Well once I get an idea I don’t stop.

And I’m glad I’m having this adventure, because I’ve learned. I’m a semi-expert who the local librarian wants to speak to other aspiring authors about the process of writing a book. But besides the knowledge I have about writing and publishing, I’ve challenged myself to learn a new skill. Experts say that traveling, working cross-word puzzles and learning new skills are great ways to stay young. Something about brain neurons bouncing the right way.

Learning is challenging. I think of this every time I sit to help a child with lowest common denominators or cursive handwriting practice. But if we don’t challenge ourselves to learn, than one of life’s defining gifts is wasted. Not to mention those brain cells. Have you learned anything lately? Was it an adventure, or did that tennis serve come as naturally as Serena Williams’?