I walk into my father’s old house, which is now my NEW house and look around. He’s left much of his life there, to start anew with his new wife and new home. I envy him that. To be able to walk through your house and point and choose - I want this and this and this. But not that or that or that. Then just take what you want and leave the rest. But for me and my two sons, it brings up memories as we touch the picture Mom needlepointed, or pick up Dad’s Confirmation Bible, or the vase my sister etched for them. Mom’s shoes are still sitting in the closet, her hair is still on her hairbrush. I gently pick it up and touch one of the silver strands. I wonder if I will keep the hairbrush. I think it is a little creepy, but understandable that I would want to keep it. But it is not her, so I think I need to throw it out to do my ‘right’ thing.
Can I rearrange this new home to make it our home? Can I hire somebody to help me clear everything out? Can I figure out how to let my sisters take what they want from the house? How long will that take? What do I need to rearrange? What do I want? What will I throw out? I’m not talking about our new home anymore. I’m talking about my body, my other home, my work, my life, my friends, my habits and beliefs. If Dad only wanted 10%, is that all that’s essential? What do I do with my other 90%? I don’t know yet. I’ve started organizing our house, making a pile for giveaway. The pile is growing. So is my happiness when I look at the pile. There’s a lot to go to sludge through the ‘stuff’ but as Dad said, “I’m tired of stuff.” Yes, Dad, I’m tired of stuff, too. So this is my resolution from now on - release the unwanted Stuff. Rearrange your life and declutter and keep moving forward, taking only what is essential to you. Just like Dad.