The missing sock mystery

Every Sunday afternoon, I do my laundry. While some might see it as a chore, to me it is a simple, comforting task. I love the calming scent of freshly washed clothes and the satisfaction of folding and putting them away, ready for the week ahead. I know what you are all thinking; it sounds like perfect bliss. Or that this girl really needs to get a life. Either way, doing my laundry each week has become one of those simple pleasures in life. 

However, there is one part of my favorite weekend pastime that I do not enjoy. Every time I do my laundry, I always seem to come up one sock short. I really don’t know how this happens. I put all my clothes in the same basket. When I load the washer, I make sure each item makes it safely inside. When I pull them out of the dryer, I always double check that nothing is left inside. Nevertheless, I always come up one sock short. Every. Single. Week.

Now here is where the mystery comes in: the sock always eventually shows up. Where, might you ask? In next week’s load of laundry. I have no idea where it goes or what happens to it in the in-between time, but inevitably, that is when it reappears.

My missing sock mystery has got me thinking. Have you ever thought that something in your life was going to go one way or another, but it didn’t? Maybe it was an exciting new opportunity like a job or internship or perhaps it was a relationship. Whatever it is, we all have experienced the excitement of expecting something, and then it not happening or “showing up” when we think it is supposed to. It is disappointing, especially if you have done all the steps and put in all the work to make it happen. Actually, it is downright frustrating sometimes, especially when everyone else seems to be matching their socks just fine! Sorry, I got a little lost in the metaphor. 

Anyway, how does this relate back to my missing sock mystery? Well, maybe it is a stretch, but I think that often the right jobs, relationships, positions or other opportunities don’t always show up when we want or expect them to, like my rogue socks. That doesn’t mean that they won’t, it just means that they may show up in another load of laundry down the road. 

So, what am I getting at? I guess what I am saying is to be patient. Don’t stress. Amazing opportunities await you, and often, they won’t come when you are expecting. But they are coming. Just wait for the next load. Eventually, they will show up!

By Hannah Olin