My wife claims
that I’m a pack rat and I have to agree with her. There are things I have trouble parting
with. My record collection from middle
and high school. My teddy bear
collection (Yeah, I know . . . I
know). My antique iron collection.
My oldest
daughter is in college, but I have her red and white striped jumper she wore as
a baby in a dresser drawer in the spare bedroom. My wife and I called it her “Russian Sailor
Suit”. I just can’t give it away or
throw it out. My youngest daughter had
her Polly Pockets collection and the various houses and buildings that went
with them. Every Saturday after
breakfast for the longest time, Hannah and Emily would disappear into Emily’s
bedroom and play for hours. We would
hear them talking in various voices, laughing and giggling, and Kim and I would
laugh along with them without their knowledge.
I think Kim and I enjoyed it as much as they did. When Emily decided she wanted to give them
away, a piece of my heart went with them.
I could go on
and on. There is the yearly tug and
tussle with my wife who likes to throw out, clean out and make room. But there are some things that are just too painful
for me to get rid of or give away. At
some point, I’ll reluctantly give in and give away, perhaps throw away. That’s the reality of it. I might not like it, but I know there is only
so much space and honestly, I’m the type of guy who can find meaning and
purpose in just about anything, so . . .
I think there is
such a thing as emotional clutter.
Feelings and
thoughts we hoard and hold onto.
Sometimes this clutter gets in the way of the acceptance of others. Sometimes this clutter gets in the way of
growing and the acceptance of ourselves. The old, tried and tested patterns of
thought and reaction prevents us from giving others a chance, an opportunity to
change- at least in our own eyes.
Sometimes the way we think of ourselves is in itself a handicap
preventing us from growing, preventing us from changing.
Each day we have
the opportunity to change. Therefore,
why would we continue to think and do in the same pattern that we’ve always
thought and acted, especially if those thoughts and behaviors are destructive
to us? Why would we continue to think
and do in the same pattern that we’ve always thought and acted if these
thoughts and behaviors are somehow stilting us from growing? If I act and think
now as I did as a twenty-something, I’m denying the opportunity for me to grow,
to change, to become.
Masahide, a 17th
century Japanese poet and samurai once said, "Barn's burnt down - now I
can see the moon."
Perhaps it’s
time to burn a barn or two. We might not
like it. It might cause some pain. But in the end, we will see a bit
clearer. That way, we’re a bit
freer. That way, we can move on,
grow. And, get rid of a bit of clutter,
emotional or otherwise. That might make
us, and others, happier in the long run.
Something to think about . . .
Live Your Life,
and Make A Difference!
Your post made me smile. When we moved 2,000 from western Mass. to northern New Mexico, we only took what we loved or had to have, and preferably both. I think we only gave a few things away I wish I still had but they went to good homes. Now emotional clutter ....
ReplyDeleteIt's funny, because as I wrote this, I knew we still had boxes that we had packed, taped and marked still in the basement that we hauled from California, to Wisconsin and now to Virginia. I fully expect that some of those boxes might be mysteriously missing in the near future. And, emotional clutter, that is worthy of a completely different blog. Thanks for commenting, Joan. Appreciate it.
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