The Dash

The dash. 

Linda Ellis' poem The Dash is the kind of thing often read at the end of someone's life. It is an opportunity to remember the time between the birth and death of an individual. Those two dates are usually what is carved into the granite of a headstone, but it really is the dash that is most telling.

 As you go through your life give some thought to the story that your dash will tell. Take the time to reflect on how you spend your days. Writer Annie Dillard points out quite obviously that, "How we spend our days, of course is how we spend our lives." 

For me I'm beginning to question why I have held onto the possessions I have  for so long? Why did I feel such a desire toward consumption and ownership? As I look toward the days ahead I hope to travel more lightly. I hope that the dash of my life is worth telling. 

Hoard

Hoard. 

To hoard means to, "amass and hide or store away."  Apparently I have been amassing and storing away way too many things. 

My husband and I decided there was no time like the present to start tackling some of our many closets in an attempt to declutter the house a bit. It didn't take us long, technically a closet or two, until we realized that we had a little problem on our hands. 

You combine eighteen years and a plethora of closets, and you might begin to consider yourself a hoarder. What caught me completely off guard, though, was how neatly and well organized our possessions were, thus giving the illusion of not really having all that much stuff. Boy was I wrong! 

What I'm realizing now is how easily we justify our purchases. When confronted with something new we convince ourselves that our life will never be the same without it.  Compounded with the idea that we might need to use it again will keep something hanging around possibly for years. Even worse is the the beloved collection. What starts out as a fun way to pass a Sunday afternoon becomes hundreds of Pez dispensers, all tucked away in a Rubbermaid tub hidden from view. 

Now they say hindsight is twenty-twenty, and it is apparent that I was completely blinded to the consequences of owning too much stuff. Eventually there will be a day of reckoning. 

True Abundance

True abundance. 

"I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly," are the words of Jesus found in the book of John. 

As is my practice I often look up the definitions of words in order to fully understand their meaning. The word abundant is defined as, "an extremely plentiful or oversufficient quantity or supply." 

As I thought about how this relates to me, I realized that I have an abundance of material possessions. I have accumulated them over the years, and have stored them away for safe keeping. 

I decided to think more broadly in terms of abundance, including things like abundant joy, abundant love, and abundant grace; all intangible, and not easily stored in a closet seemed more important. Perhaps by focusing on this type of abundance, rather than what the world sets before us will result in a more contented life. 

The State of the Pantry

The state of the pantry. 

You've heard of the State of the Union address, well today I'm addressing the state of my crisper drawer and pantry. What I've discovered is that there is some sort of ratio between my eating habits and the state of these two areas.  When my crisper drawer begins looking more like a science fair project I can pretty much guarantee that my pants are going to be fitting a little more tightly. 

Just like Alexander Pope, I too believe that, "Order is heaven's first law." The orderly state of my crisper drawer and pantry has more to do with the state of my life in general. The good thing, though, is that the crisper drawer can be cleaned out and filled with fresh, healthy choices. So if you are like me, and finding yourself returning to some not so wanted eating patterns, you might want to check the state of your pantry. 

Less is More

Less is more. 

I was going through some of the mementoes of my daughter's childhood the other day, and it became apparent that I must have kept every scrap of paper that she had ever doodled upon. However, I soon realized that I had so much stuff I really had no idea of what I had. Somehow I had treasured everything equally thinking that was a good thing. 

Unfortunately, the sheer volume of it all made it prohibitive to enjoy. One of my most prized possessions from my own mother is a card she sent me while I was away at college; one card, not twenty. 

So as I pare down, I'm hoping to keep a lesser amount of those things that bring back such fond memories. Trying to hold onto every piece of my daughter's childhood is just not realistic. While going through it all, though, my daughter and I had a good laugh over some of her childhood notes. And to be honest, that made it all worth it.  

Ordinary

Ordinary. 

Flemish psychiatrist Dirk De Wachter is a proponent for the ordinary. According to Flow magazine he believes, "...we should notice the beauty in everything, ordinary things and be content with things as they are." 

A few weeks ago I traveled to the unbelievably beautiful Lake Tahoe. I had the opportunity to enjoy a spectacular view from the balcony of a magnificent home. The tall pines, deep blue water, crisp air, and the call of the mountain jay made for a memorable experience. 

However, I kept finding myself missing the clear blue skies of home. As remarkable as the view was, I thought about the green pastures and wild flowers that dotted the landscape on the drive up to our farm. The puffy white clouds, and the smart little bluejay I saw on my morning walk had a unique beauty of its own. 

A few days before they had all seemed quite ordinary. At first glance, how could they compare to the beauty of the mountains, and yet to me they were quite special. Perhaps ordinary is really a misnomer, and there really isn't such a thing. Today as I feel the cool breezes of long awaited autumn air, I find my self contented with the ordinary. 

Focusing on Solutions

Focusing on solutions. 

In the most recent edition of Flow magazine there is an article written by Otje Van Der Lelij focusing on solutions rather than problems. 

When we spend our energies focusing on what is wrong we can easily find ourselves overwhelmed. However, when we set our sights on solutions we may find a new direction. While problems appear negative, solutions seem to radiate hope.

I found myself recently ruminating about a problem of sorts. I had never taken any real action on it other than thinking about it, and always found myself right back at the same spot. However, once I actually began to take some action, and focus on a solution, I found myself more highly motivated to resolve my dilemma. I also realized that if I allowed myself more than one solution it seemed to free me up from my paralysis. More times than not there is usually not just one solution that is feasible.

In the article Van Der Lelij quotes Albert Einstein, "The class of problems is a different class than the class of solutions." So rather than wasting all your energy on a problem, start looking for solutions.