"Look at a day when you are supremely satisfied at the end.
It's not a day when you lounge around doing nothing;
it's a day you've had everything to do and you've done it."
-- Margaret Thatcher
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| Mushroom salt and pepper shakers 12-27-14 |
"I had arrived. I'd done it.
It seemed like such a small thing
and such a tremendous thing at once ..."
-- Cheryl Strayed,
Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail
For months ... OK maybe years ... I've been telling myself that I should really clean out my kitchen cupboards and get rid of some shit.
And then I look inside at the cluttered mess and the task seems so big, so overwhelming, that I just shut the doors and forget about the problem until the next time the Tupperware cupboard vomits its contents all over the floor.
And instead of handling the mess, I shove it all back inside and I go take pictures of Barbies instead.
Well, yesterday things got real.
I did the work.
Because I had help. I had someone to kick me in the pants and get the job done.
Sam, my extremely efficient, streamlined son, is home for Winter break. So with his encouragement and a few cups of coffee, the two of us tackled the problem and cleaned out the messiest problem cupboards and drawers.
In the process, a couple of good things happened.
A. I found these funny little mushroom salt and pepper shakers that were my Grandma's.
B. My cupboards are blissfully organized and spacious and clean.
C. We filled the back end of my car with all the stuff I don't want or need anymore, and made a big donation at our local Goodwill collection center.
D. My previous feelings of frustration and anxiety over the messy, disorganized state of my cupboards was replaced by an enormous sense of accomplishment -- the satisfaction of a long-overdue job well done.
I felt inspired, empowered, tired, yet ready to tackle the next mess and take another load of unnecessaries out of my house.
It was a very good feeling.
And tackling the problem with someone who kept me motivated made the task easier, more enjoyable, and a helluva lot more fun.
That felt good too.
Maybe Sam will help me clean out the closets next.
I hope so. He's a fun-gi.
