A spring-cleaning [By Zhai Haijun / China.org.cn]

This weekend I am moving my residence from my rented apartment in Sydney and returning to my permanent home up the coast. Part of that process involves cleaning the windows which extend across three rooms to the outside. The windows were particularly dirty given the ongoing construction of two adjacent new apartment buildings.

Cleaning windows brings back memories of one of my first part-time jobs while attending university-- working at St Catherine's hospital where over the course of a summer I helped to clean every window in the 100 bed hospital. As my physical reflection grew ever clearer in the glass windows, I took the opportunity also to reflect upon life generally.

Benefit of physical work. While I have worked most of my adult life as an academic, I grew up in a working class family and had many early roles involving manual labour-moving furniture, waiting tables, laundry, etc. Washing windows reminded me of the dignity, importance and significance of physical labour in society, in culture, in all of human history.

Blending old and new techniques. When I washed the hospital windows in the 1960's I deployed a mixture of water and vinegar while using newspapers for the application. The ink in the newspapers added a nice shiny finish and helped to prevent streaking. While the vinegar worked its magic, I also used the latest 'Windex' product to add a stellar finishing touch. Similarly, in life it is important to cherish and retain the best of the old, while also be open to new and better ways of doing things.

Systematic, step by step. Cleaning the very dirty windows was a step-by-step process. First I had to remove the outer layer of dust and dirt. This required several stages before I came to the final step of removing any last smudges and making sure I did not miss any steps.

Constant review. Through each step of the process I had to take stock of the results of the previous attempt. This required sitting back, looking at the windows from different angles and making numerous adjustments.

Timing is also important. Sometimes the sun was too direct and bright. At other times, there was not enough light. Looking at the windows over the course of two days and in different shades of light, I was able to see mistakes I had overlooked the day before.

Simplification. The windows clean, and dirt and clutter removed, it is amazing how good it feels. Then one is ready to take on new projects and mentally feel a zest for the next adventure. This is why it is important periodically to remove the clutter in our lives. The traditional notion of 'spring' cleaning refers not only to the season but also the 'spring' into action one receives when things are clean, tidy and ready to go.

A Business Lesson. The media today gives too much attention to the glamorous high-tech start-ups. While some of these businesses succeed spectacularly, the majority fail or are only moderately successful. In contrast, there are for sale hundreds of thousands of businesses all around the world that have a proven track-record. Many of these involve owners who have no family members to continue to the business or who want to sell it as their retirement nest-egg. Interestingly, one such story involved a person who started a window washing business that grew to be very successful. Like me, this person began to think about how his experience also held many valuable lessons for life. See John Campbell (2016) Lessons in Window Cleaning (Lessons in Life) (CreateSpace Independent Publishing).

Conclusion

As I write this opinion, President Xi is meeting with President Trump and the environment, refugees and peace are a few of the gritty problems that must be tackled. As with my simple act of cleaning windows, I hope that these two world leaders will respect one another and at the same time be willing to start anew and find new solutions to old problems. They need to proceed step-by-step to remove the dirt, grime and dust of old stereotypes borne of a Cold War period that is thankfully past. They need to work together and with others around the globe to solve problems and remove clutter. Looking through clean windows we are more likely to see clearly how best to achieve a shiny, brighter world for the future generations that will inhabit this beautiful planet and look outward to new adventures of exploration and development. Quoting the 1972 lyrics of Johnny Nash:

'I can see clearly now the rain is gone

I can see all obstacles in my way

Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind

It's gonna be a bright (bright)

Bright (bright) sunshiny day

It's gonna be a bright (bright)

Bright (bright) sunshiny day'

Eugene Clark is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit:

http://www.h5a3.com/opinion/eugeneclark.htm

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors only, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.