Lessons from a mouse!

So... we had a mouse... in the house! Gross! And, I knew it- I just avoided it... thinking the little fella would just go away! I saw a few droppings. And then the neighbors talked about finding mice. And then I found more droppings a few days later. He (I decided the mouse was a he- being a pest & all!) wasn't going to leave. Why would he?! The though of killing him nearly killed me. I mean really- mice are just kind of cute. They're not cute in my house- they're pesky & they carry disease & the tear things apart & leave big messes... I had to tell myself of all the really gross things! So then my neighbor brought over a trap she had used (bless her!) So, I did it. I set the traps. I cleaned out the cupboards- I mean really cleaned them out- like Spring cleaning (and I really dislike getting into the icky stuff!). The first day... there was nothing. But then the next morning... Got him! Yeah! Now.. how to get rid of him? The trap was a nice one -I guess, as far as traps go! I know nothing of them really. But, it was borrowed so I didn't want to just throw it away! I'd be a good neighbor & return the trap... after I reset it to try & catch the other 20 that I was convinced were living in my house! It took me 20 minutes & a strong cup of coffee to finally get up the courage to grab a plastic bag- stick my hand in the cupboard & get that guy out of there & dispose of him... in the ...ugh...dumpster!
I just caught one mouse. He was a little mouse. I continued cleaning my house like I was nesting or something. I got behind all the bookshelves, tore apart my closet, re-organized everything. I found droppings everywhere. They were in all the above mentioned places. I was disinfecting everything & doing multiple loads of laundry. How did one little mouse do all that work? Eww.. and while we were sleeping?! Sick! I also got a bed to get our mattress off the floor... finally!
The moral of this story is that I should have taken care of this little dude at first sight. But, it grossed me out. I felt bad killing him & I honestly hoped he'd just go away! I knew better... he didn't. Like most things in life- we have to deal with them. Whether it's an incorrect charge on a bill, a dying or lingering romance, stacks of bills piled up on your table, the letter you've been needing to write, an apology you've been needing to make, whatever it is- it most likely won't just go away. It's going to need your attention. And I've been learning this lesson for a while now. I have to start dealing with things right as they come up instead of putting them in a pile for a few weeks or months until it 'goes away' ...or until I have the time & energy to deal with it. But what happens when we're waiting for that energy or inspiration is the damage. It might be financial or physical damage. Or, it might be emotionally or energetically draining...the lingering of it all. Either way... Clean house. Deal with things as they come up. Clear out the old to make room for the new. Don't leave big messes around only to be made into even bigger messes. Take care of business! Bummer I had to learn it from a mouse!