One thing I've been trying to tackle these past few days of advent is the general messiness of me. I mean this on so many levels. Most of the time it's highly unintentional and undesired, and although I will readily admit to my own clutteredness, it's not something I appreciate others pointing out! Why? Because I'm not proud of it. Before you leap in to reassure me, I have to tell you that it is not really to do with what other people think. It is how it makes me feel. When my space is cluttered, I feel cluttered. I don't actually like it. It disappoints me, frustrates me. There are those who are untidy and perfectly happy to be so - but in order to be creative, I need space. And that means being creative on a whole new level.
There are always so many things that do not have a ready 'home'. They are impossible to categorise. My other problem - and it's a big one - is that if I don't see something, I frequently forget I have it. So I try and keep it visible and accessible. And still tidy. When I'm tired, this feels impossible.
This is not just simply objects, but scraps of paper, written ideas. If I scurry them neatly away, I forget about them entirely. And my world does not have enough shelves and walls for all my thoughts, plans and ideas. Drawers need re-organising in order to put things in them, everything has its own domino effect.
I have a messy mind. It turns over and over, the thoughts tumbling through at breakneck speed. If I don't bottle them and store them, they are easily lost. For a writer, this is frustrating.
So, I am trying to create space. One room at a time. Trying to declutter, to make things bright and new. Even with my blog - wanting something cleaner, fresher, less busy in style (hope you like it, by the way!)
Part of this is necessarily to do with prioritising - what is really important? What do I really need to see every day? What things, if I forget, really don't matter that much?
In this advent season, when so many of us are consumed by busyness, perhaps it is healthy to have a soul clearout. Let's not wait till spring. Let's do it now, preparing our hearts and minds for the coming of our Saviour, in remembering the past - the incarnation, in living in the present - the Holy Spirit in our hearts and in looking to the future - the glorious reappearing.
These are the important things. The things I do not want to forget.
4 comments:
Yes, i understand. In fact, you have perfectly explained my frustrations with clutter. I sometimes have to accept it, but i am never happy about it, but for me at times it is accepting limitations.
Good luck with that. I do similar things at times, but this next couple of weeks won't be part of that.
I've been thinking about 'making space' recently, too. Not just physical decluttering (though that's part of it) but introducing a bit more 'stop' amidst all the 'go' in life. I think it's going to be important next year - not just for me, but for the community I live with as well. http://man-with-the-mop.blogspot.com/2010/12/new-ears-resolution.html
O Lucy: you could have been writing about me. :-)
Grace to you in your making space. And I love the new-you blog!
Have a lovely rest-of-Advent and a blessed Christmas.
As ever, Simon
Thanks Simon - hope your Christmas is equally blessed and you find space of your own. :)
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