I heard this phrase in a song several years ago, when I was driving back from Ohio. I had been visiting my folks frequently during that time because my father had cancer. The phrase resonated immensely, within the larger context of the song, which is that however difficult your life is right now, there are moments of beauty, and that when the end of life comes we will wish for even an hour longer.
I adopted it as my motto and designed a cross stitch pattern. However, I never finished anything beyond the words because I planned to add some kind of colorful embellishment. So it just sat for two or three years in my sewing basket. Last week I read a decluttering book that changed my mind. The book was essentially useless, repeating what every other book in this vein says, except for one thing I hadn't heard before: decluttering can include letting go of projects.
You may have noticed that I'm an extremely organized person, and I'm the type that gets quite a few projects done. But there are always some unfinished ones lurking. So this morning, like every Saturday, I made a long list of the things I wanted to do today. Then I decided to ignore every one of them and either finish or let go of as many projects as I could.
I gave up on the flowers, and just framed the saying. I repaired my screen door and my sofa. I gave away books I hadn't read and the beautiful yarn I have been meaning to knit into a sweater for years. A few pantry ingredients that I knew I'd never use went into the trash, along with the stair railing I intended to reinstall. I took a load of things to the thrift store and a half-dozen people on my buy-nothing group have said they'll take all the produce that I do not want to freeze anymore this year.
I'm free(er)!
7 comments:
You are such a good example to us all. I remember one throwing away a partially finished quilt that I had to accept I was never going to finish. So hard!
I feel I have been doing the same thing with relationships over the past few years. Not in a bad way, but just not letting myself stay caught up in those that are not going anywhere.
De-I, that's an excellent example of feeling rid of things that aren't making your life better.
ooo I'd have not made the connection with relationships but that has certainly been kicking around my mind lately. I think the saying that you ended up framing is still very beautiful!
May I suggest that this is the best part of your life - waking every morning.
Gill, I agree completely!
I love this phrase. It is a great motto and a wonderful reminder. I think framing it as it is was a good decision.
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