On her Square Peg Reflections blog, Karen Caterson asks us where we could use a little breathing room...
The most obvious change that would give me space is not having to work for a living. Some days I can barely manage to get myself to work, let alone deal with all its problems for 8 hours once I get there. I don't think I need to elaborate on this one.
Severing Commitments would give me space, space in which I'd make new commitments, mostly. I'm not referring to the type of commitments that involve family responsibility. But my interests in some clubs and organizations that I belong to are wearing thin.
The volunteer work I do for a professional society can be overwhelming. Running the meetings, writing newsletters, updating the website, recruiting volunteers, responding to members -- if you thought this was leading to a grammatically correct sentence, you're mistaken1. I long to see others take charge so I can lighten my schedule a bit.
Another big change -- I like to imagine myself quitting the Church choir, along with skipping Church on Sundays. I get a taste of this every summer. We don't sing in the summer, so I trade the Church experience for sleeping late on Sundays. I stay in bed until 9:00am! That frees up much more than superficial space. Karen writes about psychic space, and skipping Church would deliver a lot of it. Image the ensuing decluttering session:
Now it's your turn!
1I did spell check it for you, though.
I'd like to invite YOU to wonder something with me. Where could you use a little breathing room - a little psychic space? What could YOU wonder about that would offer you choices? It doesn't have to be big. My "wonder" is pretty small - just giving myself room to maybe skip a weekend of blog posts.Where indeed, as in where do I begin?
The most obvious change that would give me space is not having to work for a living. Some days I can barely manage to get myself to work, let alone deal with all its problems for 8 hours once I get there. I don't think I need to elaborate on this one.
Severing Commitments would give me space, space in which I'd make new commitments, mostly. I'm not referring to the type of commitments that involve family responsibility. But my interests in some clubs and organizations that I belong to are wearing thin.
The volunteer work I do for a professional society can be overwhelming. Running the meetings, writing newsletters, updating the website, recruiting volunteers, responding to members -- if you thought this was leading to a grammatically correct sentence, you're mistaken1. I long to see others take charge so I can lighten my schedule a bit.
Another big change -- I like to imagine myself quitting the Church choir, along with skipping Church on Sundays. I get a taste of this every summer. We don't sing in the summer, so I trade the Church experience for sleeping late on Sundays. I stay in bed until 9:00am! That frees up much more than superficial space. Karen writes about psychic space, and skipping Church would deliver a lot of it. Image the ensuing decluttering session:
- monotheism -- clear it out.
- patriarchism -- it's old, toss it.
- ascension to heaven or eternal damnation -- free to a good home!!
- everything happens for a reason -- quaint but useless.
- sins -- what was I thinking when I got that?!
Now it's your turn!
1I did spell check it for you, though.
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10 comments:
I like your ideas for decluttering in a whole new realm. I highly recommend that last one especially. Did me a world of good, I tell ya what.
My turn eh? Hmm hmm... getting out of residential housing, or at the very least, this residential housing. Even though it would mean I'd be having to deal with things myself, I'd trade it for the stress load here. The guy running the show appears to be trying to fill in the role of my parents in the most bizarre ways. I fled that crap for a reason! I'm a mental health patient looking for care... not a burden on the state who has to deal with office politics for a place I don't even work at.
Other than that... eh... getting off the east coast. It'd be a physical (weather, community if you can even call it that, proximity to unhappy things) lift, as well as an emotional one (hmm, for similiar reasons as well as others).
Can't think of much more... my life is kinda simple with the outside influence crap removed. Good luck on your possible goals, mine are... in progress, but seem to be more long-term than short term. ^^;
I learned to simplify my life years ago because I need plenty of moodling time. It's sacred to me.
SPG, you crack me up! the part about decluttering - imaging the Church experience that way - wildly imaginative!! love it!
and thanks for linking to my blog!!
Hi Tirsden:
Thanks for commenting. Sounds like the facility is using the same motivational techniques on you that parents use -- drive you crazy to get you to leave! :)
I've sending healing thoughts to you!
Hi Karen:
Thanks for your kind comments and especially for the inspiration for this post!
Hi Jean:
Simplicity is the way to go! Thanks for commenting!
I thought that not having to work for a living will be the goal to aim for too. That is till I retired. It was after that, that wisdom dawned on me that working has nothing to do with making a living. I now realize that living is all about FINDING the space to grow.
Hi rummuser:
I had equated retirement to time off from work. But maybe that's a bad assumption to make.
Thanks for commenting!
SPG, thankye so very much! *soaks healings* ^^
Yeah, I'm pretty much on the top of the list of people who are "ready to move out should proper new housing become available" ...aka other programs or public housing. I'm on the list for the HOC vouchers (I think is what they are called) and it would reeeally rule to get that because I can take it anywhere in the US! Sadly, it's a lottery-ish drawing. So... send the voucher pickers some happy thoughts too. XDD *does some of that right now!*
Okay you voucher pickers, I see you picking Tirsden next. And I Tirsden selecting a very nice, squirrel-free place in Sedona AZ. :)
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