Letting Go of the Weight

 There is no doubt that many of us feel like we have been carrying a lot of extra weight on our shoulders over these last six months. Being confined to home and having our social connections so limited can become a burden too heavy for us at times.

Finding a way to release all of this can seem like a daunting task, especially when we find it hard to get out of our own way. However, as I have always told my children, “just put one foot in front of the other, take one thing at a time, and you will be amazed at what you can accomplish”.

Since I have been feeling tired and defeated recently, I decided I should take my own advice over the weekend. It was time to tackle things we had been ignoring to bring order to the chaos. I figured in the process, as each task was completed, the weight on my shoulders might become lighter.

The biggest project – the basement. As we all know the basement becomes the catch-all for things we will eventually either throw away or bring to the shed. Unfortunately these things spend far too much time there before we take the next step. With each item that was removed things felt so much brighter. Once the basement was organized, and all of the cobwebs and dust vacuumed up, it felt like we could breathe once more as we entered the space.

Having momentum on my side, I knew I should continue on. We all know that if we stop, then chances are we will lose steam. Even though we had accomplished the big chore, there were plenty more waiting.

There is something cathartic and healing about cleaning. It’s as if the worries and woes are slowly washed away with each task completed. The things that have been weighing heaviest on our minds somehow seem lighter and more manageable. Even if they can’t be solved, we somehow find a modicum of peace and a way to live with them.

By the end of the day I was surprised at how much I had accomplished. I was tired, but it was a good tired. Although it is not possible to eliminate all of my worries, I did walk away with renewed energy and a better sense of how to deal with them in a more positive way. I guess that one cannot ask for more than that.



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