The Fridge And Your Soul
You could measure your self-worth by how charming you are, how pretty you are, by how groomed you are, or by how sticky the middle shelf of your fridge is.
I think most people are like my fridge. Gleaming, polished chrome on the outside and a medium-sized mess on the inside.
Some fridges have these ultra glossy exteriors. Have you ever had one of those? I always want one when I see it, but as soon as I touch it in the kitchen store, I see my fingerprints leaving greasy-looking marks on the glossy exterior. "My hands are not THAT icky", I'll mutter to myself and grumpily move on to a different fridge.
Where kitchen appliances are concerned, matte beats glossy any day because glossy is very hard to maintain and looks ridiculously dirty with just a few finger marks. Just like people. When someone has a glossy outside, chances are, they are giving themselves cleaning anxiety just maintaining that facade.
All the while, the mess on the inside is the same in any fridge, regardless of glossiness.
You can't tell from the outside of the fridge whether you're going to open its doors to Pinterest-worthy meal-prepped perfection or sticky stains and milk that is decidedly headed towards the cheesy. Even if the fridge is well sorted, most people have a messy corner. Usually some shelf in the door where all the opened sauces and dips are that you are "going to use next time". (No, you are not going to use them because you really prefer your ONE favourite—PLAIN KETCHUP)
Just like fridges, people have a lot going on on the inside that you don't see. So if you want to measure your self-worth then, really, the fridge rules apply:
Is something alive? No? THEN IT'S ALL GOOD
Is something going bad? No? THEN IT'S ALL GOOD. And if not, the sooner you throw it out, the better.
Did something spill out? No? THEN IT'S ALL GOOD. And if not, the sooner you mop it up, the easier it will be.
Is there something nourishing and yummy? Yes? THEN IT'S ALL GOOD. And if not, you need to go shopping.
Do you like what's in the fridge? Yes? THEN IT'S ALL GOOD. And if not, you need to swap some stuff out.
What I found works for both fridges and myself is to look inside and do a spot of mopping up regularly. A nasty subconscious is just as horrible to clean out as a nasty fridge. The guilt I have about things fridge or imagined is remarkably similar. It dissipates almost immediately as soon as I get around to getting rid of what ails.
Other than that, I prefer fridges with French doors. Apparently, what is good for getting onto the terrace and into the yard is also good for accessing the dark places in the kitchen and the soul.
