Lightening Your Load
This week the dreaded day finally came – the day I actually decided to take action. It was time to stop procrastinating as I had been doing for months (years, really), and clean out my attic. Now, some of you may wonder why I chose January to start this project. With the lowest temperatures of the season in the Northeast and an attic that is uninsulated, I wondered the same thing. In fact, when I opened the attic door and felt the frigid air on my bare skin, I almost completely abandoned the idea. But then it struck me. If I didn’t grasp this opportunity to clean out my attic while I was motivated, another year or two might pass before the job got done. And by then, the piles would be even higher. I couldn’t let the time of year deter me. I had to follow through. It was time to get it done.
With fuzzy slippers, three layers of warm sweaters, and a stocking cap on my head, I opened the door and trudged up the wooden stairs that led to the attic. Cardboard boxes and plastic totes were haphazardly scattered beneath the rafters. It was an expansive space, and I had utilized every inch as a dumping ground over the years. Whenever I had tossed another bag of old toys or clothes onto a pile, I would say to myself, “I’ll look through these later.” Well, later never came – until now. Starting near the stairs, I began to recycle the large stacks of empty shoeboxes and cardboard. That seemed easy enough. Slowly, I made my way to a tote of giveaway stuff I had begun packing several months earlier. I added a few more items to the tote before setting it aside. Then it was on to the next one. This process continued until I glanced outside and noticed that the sky had darkened. It was almost dinner time, and I had been up there for over an hour, although it felt like much longer. Sighing and hardly able to feel my fingers, I knew it was time to take a break.
That was five days ago and although I would love to tell you my attic is completely finished, it isn’t. In fact, I’m still organizing and sorting. However, I have gotten a little smarter. Instead of braving the frigid attic temperatures, I now take a few totes down to the bedroom and sort through them one at a time. As I’m sorting, I try to remember that everything in the attic is simply stuff. It’s replaceable. If other people can benefit from clothing or toys that my family no longer uses, then I am happy to donate them. It’s time to clean out and let go of things, for when I hold onto things too long, I find they hold me back.
Surprisingly, the dreaded job of cleaning my attic is teaching me something. The larger my giveaway pile grows, the happier I feel. It’s as though removing the clutter from my attic helps me remove the clutter from my life. Somehow, everything seems simpler. I am able to focus more on the important things in my life like love, relationships, self-worth, and my purpose. I don’t need all this stuff I am surrounding myself with. It’s weighing me down more than it’s helping me. My stuff isn’t serving a purpose; it‘s just taking up more space. I believe this is true for many of us. Most of the time, we carry around stuff that we no longer need. And it isn’t always physical stuff. Often, we carry around old hurts and burdens. We take them with us everywhere; it’s time to let them go.
Many years ago, I went on a mission trip to Juarez, Mexico. The people who lived there had very small one-room homes made of cement, and many of them only owned the clothes on their backs. At first, I felt sorry for them. But after staying there for only a few days, I realized how happy these people were. They experienced greater joy in their apparent lack than we as Americans do with all of our excess. Perhaps our stuff gets in the way of our happiness. Are we so busy trying to accumulate more that we miss the simple joys that life brings?
What things are cluttering up your life? Is it time to clean out your dreaded closets or forgive someone you love? Give away the stuff you longer need and release those hurts you’ve been holding onto. They are only holding you back. Once you let them go, you will be amazed how much lighter you feel – how much lighter the load becomes. Look within and reflect upon the things that are most important in your life. Appreciate what you’ve been given and spend time with those you love. Discover your purpose and believe in your own worth. Take time to experience life’s simple joys, for once you clear away the clutter, contentment and happiness will follow.
