Yesterday an image flashed across my mind of what our little house could be like if we radically decluttered. I mean RA-DI-CAL-LY. Living extemely simply.
Oh, it was nice. I admit the vision I was having was of me BLOGGING about it, not actually living in it, LOL!! I think all the Little House on the Prairie reading we are doing is effecting my brain, too.
I am so tired of getting upset over *stuff*. You know, like trying to pull one shirt out from under other shirts and having them all come down on your head or the floor. (what? Things like this don't happen to you on an hourly basis? LOL)
I always hesitate for three reasons. One, we spent MONEY on this stuff. I use this one mostly on gifts for the girls that don't get as much use as I'd hoped, like the small parachute that I thought we could use for "gym class"). Two, it's something I *do* use once in a while, like when we have a party (um, once a year?). Three, I feel like I'm depriving my kids of something by taking so many things away.
That last one bothers me the most. But this morning while thinking about my "vision" of last night, I thought back to my own childhood. What were my memories?
Sitting in the back yard, or playing on the swingset.
Reading.
Playing with toys? Well, I do remember my Barbie Townhouse, LOL. I really did love that thing. And certain stuffed animals. And blocks (because we still own them).
But I'm sure I had a ton of toys. That I don't remember. That says something to me.
My favorite memories are of books, nature, and other people. The *things* were secondary. And I was one of two children born 6 years apart - how much more will my own children - 5 all born 2 or so years apart - have memories of the *people* and not the things?
I *think* this tells me that I can get rid of even more, and we'll all be OK. Better than OK. Happy.
Why does it feel like stepping off a cliff, then?
Oh, it was nice. I admit the vision I was having was of me BLOGGING about it, not actually living in it, LOL!! I think all the Little House on the Prairie reading we are doing is effecting my brain, too.
I am so tired of getting upset over *stuff*. You know, like trying to pull one shirt out from under other shirts and having them all come down on your head or the floor. (what? Things like this don't happen to you on an hourly basis? LOL)
I always hesitate for three reasons. One, we spent MONEY on this stuff. I use this one mostly on gifts for the girls that don't get as much use as I'd hoped, like the small parachute that I thought we could use for "gym class"). Two, it's something I *do* use once in a while, like when we have a party (um, once a year?). Three, I feel like I'm depriving my kids of something by taking so many things away.
That last one bothers me the most. But this morning while thinking about my "vision" of last night, I thought back to my own childhood. What were my memories?
Sitting in the back yard, or playing on the swingset.
Reading.
Playing with toys? Well, I do remember my Barbie Townhouse, LOL. I really did love that thing. And certain stuffed animals. And blocks (because we still own them).
But I'm sure I had a ton of toys. That I don't remember. That says something to me.
My favorite memories are of books, nature, and other people. The *things* were secondary. And I was one of two children born 6 years apart - how much more will my own children - 5 all born 2 or so years apart - have memories of the *people* and not the things?
I *think* this tells me that I can get rid of even more, and we'll all be OK. Better than OK. Happy.
Why does it feel like stepping off a cliff, then?
