Transitions
I think I have a better understanding now of Avigayil's (and other's) complaints about making the transition from tamei to tahor and tahor to tamei.
Ironically enough, what gave me this understanding had nothing to do with Taharat HaMishpacha. No, it was Pesach. (Passover) We spend however long running around getting ready for Pesach. The last two weeks especially are pretty intensive. Then there's Yontif, Chol HaMoed, more Yontif. (Holy days, intermediate days, more holy days.) Then poof it's over, and you're supposed to just put everything away as fast as you can, pull out your chametzdik (Non-Passover) pots, go shopping maybe, start eating "normal" food again, and everyone goes straight back to work or school as if we never had Pesach.
This year I couldn't deal. I sat there in my mostly empty kitchen, having just had a dish-washing, drying and putting away marathon. Everything was still covered in aluminum foil and/or contact paper. And I couldn't take out the chametzdik pots. My husband came home from the store (he took the day off to help me switch back... it would never have happened at all without him) and gently yelled at me for not making lunch yet. Then he reminded me that I had to switch the drip pans on the stovetop back too... so I guess it was a good thing I hadn't taken out my pots yet.
I forced myself to rip the taped X's off the closed off cabinets, to unfoil my stovetop... to find that pot and make the hotdogs for lunch. But I was crying inside. I wanted to scream, "No, we're doing Pesach for a whole month this time! It's too much preparation work for just a week!" In fact, I did say something of the sort, and they just laughed at me. Because it doesn't work that way.
The transition from tamei to tahor and tahor to tamei must feel the same for some people. It's too much, too fast. I don't know why this particular transition was so difficult for me this year. We've "made Pesach" and unmade Pesach for many years now. But now I understand a little, what it must be like. And I feel for you. It's tough. Avigayil is finding ways to make it easier. I hope others can learn to do the same.
Desde: Are you inside my head? As a very new kallah this is how I am feeling about both Tamei Tahor and Pesach. I was trying to figure out how to word it.
Though I have left some contact paper up still and there are a few taped X's on cabinets I haven't had to access yet. Hmm.. maybe that speaks of how well we're doing with harchakot.
Pesach was much easier.
Each year, Pesach is a growing experience, I learn a little more, I hope I grow a little more (hopefully not from too much eating). I'm pretty sure with each cycle my husband and I will grow as well and become more used to this. Already we are abit. Not as much as I expected us to handle, but it's still growth. (Non-ideal apartment settings don't help) but we're managing.