The Dishes Wheel, While Waiting

I was just sitting there, waiting for the kettle to boil. The kitchen was quiet, the only sound the low hum of the fridge. I had a few minutes with nothing planned, and my mind felt pleasantly blank.

The quiet hum of the kitchen

My phone was on the counter, but I didn’t feel like picking it up. I just watched the steam start to curl from the kettle’s spout. It was one of those short breaks in the day where you’re not really doing anything at all.My eyes drifted to the drying rack. A couple of plates, a mug, a saucepan. It wasn’t a big deal, just the evidence of a normal morning. For a second, I thought about who should put them away.

Spinning a thought into a game

I remembered an app I’d downloaded ages ago, one for making little wheels. I opened it, more out of idle curiosity than any real need to decide. The blank circle felt like a place to put my wandering thoughts.I started typing things into the segments. Not just names, but little actions. It felt less like assigning a chore and more like setting up a tiny, harmless surprise for whoever the wheel landed on. The kettle clicked off, but I let my tea steep a little longer.

A list of gentle possibilities

I filled the wheel with options that felt fair, even kind of fun. Nothing felt like a punishment. It was just a different way to move through a quiet moment.

Letting the wheel decide

I gave the wheel a spin on the screen. It whirred softly, the colors blurring together. For those few seconds, I genuinely didn’t care where it stopped. The action of spinning it was the whole point.It landed on ‘Put on a podcast while you tidy.’ I smiled. It was a nudge, not a command. I put my phone in my pocket, the podcast host’s voice a soft companion as I put the dishes away. The waiting was over, but the quiet feeling remained.