The Irrational Mystery

It happened on a dark, dreary night…laundry night.

Okay, it wasn’t really a dreary night, just laundry night. But you have to admit, laundry night is its own kind of dreary.

Everything was going along as usual, move one load to the dryer, put another load into the washer. I was folding my first load out of the dryer when it happened. I wasn’t looking for trouble, but hey, laundry can be trouble all by itself.

Somewhere between the endless number of tee-shirts and gym shorts, I realized there was only one. I was missing a sock. I’m no novice at doing laundry, so one missing sock was nothing to be alarmed about. It had to be mixed in with another load, or caught in one of those tee-shirts. Maybe it was lying in the bottom of my hamper.

And so the search began. Shaking all the tee-shirts, spinning the drum of the dryer. When the washer stopped, taking each item out, one at a time, and giving them a shake before they went into the dryer. I made the trip back to the hamper. No sock-mate to be found.

After following my initial search pattern a second time with no success, I moved on to other obvious places: under the bed, between the sofa cushions (just in case I pulled my socks off while lounging around), the dog bed. Nothing.

Retracing my steps a third time, I was in a full-on frenzy. I started looking everywhere without discretion. Under lampshades, in the pantry, in plants, in the garage. I even looked in the freezer. No sock.

I was a mess by this time. All I could do was turn my bedroom and closet upside down. I turned things over, dumping the contents on the floor. I emptied drawers and pulled the covers off my bed. I went through my bathroom cabinets. I looked in every nook and cranny fearing the sock was lost, never to be found. But, standing in my closet, hopelessly looking around, I spied it: my sock! My lost, now found sock. Caught under the corner of my husband’s hamper.

Overwhelmed with relieved, I grabbed my sock, fell on the floor and broke out bawling! I managed to close my closet door, lest everyone in the house come running. But my emotions wouldn’t stay quiet, and the tears came. Irrational tears.

I know what you’re thinking, it was a sock, one silly sock. Nothing to lose yourself over. I get that, and normally I would agree with you. But this pair of socks were different.

They were different because of my dad.

I had been at my parents house visiting for a weekend to attend a wedding. I had spent the morning packing my car, getting ready to head home. We knew Dad wasn’t feeling well, and when his home healthcare nurse came for her regular check, she called 9-1-1. Dad  was taken to the hospital by ambulance. He ended up being in the hospital for several months. I didn’t leave, but stayed to help Mom and be with Dad. I only had a few outfits with me, and as fall eased into winter, temperatures turned cold and I had to get a few items.

I needed socks. I chose these socks because of Dad. He loved my dogs. I only had one dog at the time, but he especially loved her. My socks had little doggie paw prints that I thought Dad would like. Every time I put them on, I think of Dad. You see, my dad passed away while he was in the hospital. I didn’t realize how much those socks meant to me…until I thought one was lost.

It’s funny what we cherish without even knowing it. I have plenty of other socks, but this pair is special. I searched high and low for the one sock that was lost.

The Bible tells of a shepherd who lost one sheep. He left his ninety nine other sheep to find the one. When the lost sheep was found, he called his friends and neighbors to come and celebrate with him.

Celebrate because the one was found. God does that. He celebrates with all of heaven when even one lost soul is found.

What do you cherish that you would search high and low to find?

Author: Janet Campbell

Follower of Christ, mother, wife, and writer of mysteries. Wrapped around the paw of a 5 lb Pomeranian named Little Ali Sunshine. View all posts by Janet Campbell