I want to speak to the older folk among us. Because the young by nature are free of this burden - - at least for now.
I’ve spoken about space before; why it’s necessary. Space opens us up for newness. For new experiences. For new ideas. Space makes room for “the other” - - that is, for others to join us in our lives.
I’m not sure what value, real value, stuff has in our lives. I mean, a father’s old watch, old books from college, letters in boxes, souvenirs from Mexico, or cassette tapes without a player. Anyone have any eight tracks? I’m not a hoarder, per se. But I have a hard time throwing out stuff. What is it we’re trying to hold on to? The stuff or the memories, the associations they bring to mind? I would like to propose that the stuff in our life is in direct correlation with the stuff - - I want to change the word to clutter - - in our inner lives.
Imagine if our house was full of clutter. Imagine that our inner life was the same. Imagine, just for a minute, that we want someone to join us as a partner. Imagine that they have stuff as well. Outside and inside. It’s too much. There’s no room. No room to create something new. No room to even be together.
This is a big issue for those of us who are older. Over the years we’ve accumulated moats of stuff around us. Granted, some things are worth keeping. They have real value, but most stuff does not and becomes a barrier and impedes us. It keeps others from coming in, and keeps us from venturing out. The positive has become the negative.
We need to become good editors. To edit out with brutal honesty what is not important. Is it worth keeping that stuff, that clutter. Or even more direct, is it worth keeping that hurt, that pain; all of which has outlived it’s purpose.
If we are older. If we are lonely. If we want partners. If we want new experiences. If we want to live, we need to free ourselves of the clutter inside and outside.
Today, with brutal honesty, I will rid myself of five things inside and/or outside of my life that are no longer important, that have outlived their purpose. Today I will begin to make room for others.
