So now that we have the whole matter of slowing down time off our plate...what can we do instead that will give us a good sense of stillness?
I cleaned my pantry. As it turns out cleaning is not only good for having company over but it is also very calming. A clean and organized space is good for your nervous system.
In a few weeks we will be having what we call our Fake Turkey day. Instead of celebrating Thanksgiving on Nov 24th, we host our big NW family gathering on the 12th. The earlier date opens the date for lots more family and friends to attend. Plus it kind of extends the time from Thanksgiving to the December Holidays. (As a side note to this blog post- I highly recommend the fake turkey day- day. It was done for practical matters but is now a family favorite!!)
Because of the impending day, last weekend, I was feeling a bit of the got to hurry up syndrome. Instead of hurrying up I started puttering in my kitchen. Puttering may not be the correct word as I moved pretty swiftly. I "puttered" into my giant pantry and there I spent the rest of the day- cleaning, purging, organizing and then admiring.
When you putter, you are present but not super focused. You just keep moving, one bottle at a time, one shelf, one box until you are all done. Your brain relaxes, your mind wanders, you keep moving forward. This full clean out wasn't a little process but now that my pantry is back to order, I realize how relaxing it is to my spirit to open that door and see bright colored herbs, nuts and teas all lined up. There is no weight of an undone task, to should-a, would-a or could-a waiting for me behind my pantry door.
There is an ease to my life because I cleaned out a pantry that I wouldn't have had otherwise. A simple solution? Maybe but isn't that the best kind???
I wish you all simple solutions for what may appear as complex problems,
Denise
