The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. Galatians 5:6

Saturday, January 14, 2023

The Spaces of Enough

Energized, no doubt, by today's sunshine (finally), I found myself waking up with that free-Saturday urge to "get things done."  

More than just the normal Saturday stuff; groceries and sweeping and bathrooms and laundry.  Those are the things that must get done, usually waiting for Saturday, even though, when you work from home they whine at you any time you leave your desk.

No, today the 'get things done' was about the bigger stuff.  The stuff that feels like more of a project, something you wait to do until you have the time and the energy at the same time.  Yeah, I know.  Not that often. 
 
But today there it was.  The sunshine, the time, AND the inclination, all happening first thing.  I enthusiastically jumped on the wave, and today, among other happy bigger tasks, I cleared out my closet.  

The bare floors at the bottom may not seem all that spectacular to you, but for me they represent a serious purge of shoes.  And what you can't see is that a lot of clothes I haven't worn in - I'll admit it - years are also gone.  Value Village has a great pick up spot just for this sort of day.

As I finished off the final tidy up and sweeping, I couldn't help but feel a little wave of freedom.  I mean, look at the space!  A closet is exactly the kind of mostly-hidden place where things pile up and collect.  I don't think I realized how much was in there and how much getting rid of it would make it seem like the whole room is now breathing better. 

Bigger inhales.  Expansive.  
Slower exhales.  Sweet and easy. 


"Enough."

That was the idea that kept coming to my heart this past summer as I sat on the dock or paddled the kayak and listened.  Enough for this season of life.  Enough for who I am and what I bring to my small piece of the planet.  Enough, so my soul can be free of the clutter of all the things I sometimes think I can hide in there.  And it piles up if I'm not careful.

I set for myself the unpacking of "Enough" over a longer course of season.  I brought it into this new year to give myself the time to keep understanding it.   Space enough to breathe into it.

I have so much.  Really.  And I'm getting a clearer picture, I think, as I contemplate all of this, that there will be a lot of letting go, if I'm ever going to get to 'enough.'

It was also just sooooooo good to get outside for a winter walk in the sun today.