Photo courtesy of AngryJulieMonday, via FlickrI made the boys do a toy purge last Friday. It’s simply that time again, and not just because it’s spring (Yes!). I was actually amazed at how many things they were willing to toss, and the bag is sitting by the door to be put out on the curb. They’re pretty pleased with their newfound space in the toybins, and it’s all good.
For myself, I sorted and pitched some old client folders, making some breathing room in my filing cabinet again. Do I really need every single logo sketch for an old (and impossibly difficult) client who never ended up paying me what he owed? I think not! The funny thing was, in tossing the stack, I finally felt liberated from the irritation that I still harbored against him. I was still pissed over the situation, yet I knew I wasn’t going to ever get anything from him (nor was I willing to fight over it) and so it was time to pitch. My annoyance slipped away with the recycling, and I actually enjoyed looking over the amazing range of ideas I’d come up with for the project!
We hang on to things for reasons we don’t always suspect. It might be convenience, no time to deal with it, fear of needing it again some day, or the memories tied to it. Plenty of room for guilt in those drawers and closets too, don’t you think? If I give that silk jacket away, I’ll have to admit that I (a) wasted money on it, (b) can’t fit into it, or (c) am not that person anymore. What if I have her over, and her pottery isn’t displayed on my shelf anymore? Yes it looks absurd when it’s written out, but it’s true that thoughts like those can keep us tied to our possessions in webby and sticky ways, long after they’ve started to possess us. (I’m going right now to throw away some dusty boxes of Jello, and I’m not sure I could explain why coherently, but it’s a good thing!)
So what have you gotten rid of lately? Anything you can pitch this week to lighten the load, emotional baggage or not? Do tell … and know that it feels really good …