Child of the Depression Once Removed

My father is the perfect example of a Depression era survivor. He has kept everything over the years just in case he might need to use it on some day in his life again. The obvious implication being that if he had it in his possession he wouldn't have to spend any money to acquire what he once owned. That would be a waste of money. I grew up with a basement full of "stuff", a pile here...a pile there.... Sympathetically I understood how those extremely rough months impacted his life. Empathetically I couldn't because I never lived through the daily scraping for survival and constant sense of impending disaster that our nation experienced.

What did impact my psyche was the conscious choice that I faced when choosing how I was going to set up my way of life, the mind set for the days of my future. And I have to admit I, too, was impressed with a watered-down version of that same angst. I don't like to throw away items in my trash. Why? Because all of our refuse ends up in a landfill that contaminates the earth. Plain and simple. I believe that is irresponsible. That explains why I am adamant in our household about taking advantange of the recycling system our community offers. I take re-useables to Goodwill or Salvation Army dropoffs. We support a wonderful church in the inner city which has a fabulous outreach for over twenty years to the homeless and less fortunate.

Many (let me emphasis that again...MANY) years ago the autobiography of Mary Kay Ash, founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics, came into our house. I never paid attention to it...except for the attention-grabbing very feminine pink book cover which I thought was so cool. Probably twenty years ago I asked my parents if I could borrow and give it a read. I learned three invaluable lessons from this single, highly motivated mother that resurfaced when I was contemplating my resolutions for this new year. Number one: take no more that three minutes to iron a shirt. Number two: Get up an hour earlier every day to create seven more hours in your week. Number three: clean out one drawer a day.

So faithfully I am cleaning out a drawer a day. Daunting? Not really. Refreshing? Absolutely. Satisfying? Yes!! I have found things I couldn't find (you know how that works --"I'll put it right here in this safe place and I'll be sure to remember this because it makes so much sense.....). I have discovered some kitchen gadgets I had forgotten I even owned that will be exciting to start using. I have been able to cluster like-items together where I put some here and some over there. I am sharing inherited pieces with family members and reuseables to organizations who can use them. All recyclable plastic and paper have been tossed in their respective bins. And, I will admit, I have kept just a very few, small sentimental things that I can't quite give up. Oh! I now have a small number of extremely selected goodies (that I was given Lord know why) will be gifted to the person who should have been the recipient in the first place over the next year.

Additionally, my clock is set for 6 o'clock on weekday to get that extra hour in and I am picking up the pace on the ironing chore which is NOT my favorite activity. (HINT: Put on some of your favorite music --preferably with a good, peppy beat. That iron will move a little faster as your attitude improves!)

Try this no-charge therepy. Purely cathartic. Be open to the freedom it affords. I actually look forward to this task of rediscovery. Take on this simple challenge to cleanse your nest. And your life.