Due to the events of the past few months, my stress level has been quite elevated. I've a terrible outbreak of eczema and just learned I have a mild staph infection in my forearms. (Yes, of all the irony... ME, the lover of bleach, lysol, rubbing alcohol, and antibacterial hand wipes got a STAPH infection!) -Not to mention getting very little restful sleep.
So, to put my nervous energy to productive use, I am cleaning-out, organizing and simplifying EVERYTHING I own. Only part of my home office and some school items are left to sort. It feels so refreshing! So cleansing! So renewing!
Going through storage boxes and old files reminds me of how much I've learned to simplify. I see most things in organized detail, and many years ago when I first set up files of things I wanted to keep, I created them in MINUTE detail. Every few years when I go on a weeding rampage, I let more and more go, becoming wiser and more efficient in my planning and record keeping.
Over time I've learned something of what is important to hang on to and what needs to be let go. -And not just in my files and closets and cupboards. Sorting every room in my house and sweeping the dust of my soul seem to go hand-in-hand.
It is time consuming and painful to be scrubbed and scoured and torn apart and have pieces thrown away, but the tidy, uncluttered rows that remain are lovely; as are the mementos and dear pages from a time gone past that get to stay tucked in a file or a in a journal, or in a corner of my heart.
Well, this has turned to be more sentimental than I anticipated. I do think there is a light at the end of the tunnel, so to speak. In a week or two, my home and yard threshing will be complete. Hopefully by then my professional world will be settled as well. And my eczema will be gone and the staph infection cleared. And maybe even a good night's sleep will return. Yes, a sweet, simplified light awaits me. Soon. Hopefully.
That was very poetic. Sweeping the dust of your soul--should be in a written poem somewhere.
ReplyDeleteI, too, have found that less stuff is more comfortable, but I do my best cleaning when I am annoyed or angry about something. Trouble is, as I get calmer I am more unlikely to want to mop or vacuum. Irony.
Sorry about your skin problems. Any idea how you found staph? Hope you are healing.
I had another comment post written, pushed a button and it disappeared. If I accidently sent it to you too, just disregard it.
I missed visiting with you this month. Darn.
I also think this post is very poetic. I especially love the paragraph that starts, "It is time consuming and painful..."
ReplyDeleteSo many great thoughts! Thanks for sharing in such an eloquent way.