A Benefit to Downsizing

Packing up a 3600 square foot house is not my idea of fun.  In fact, moving/packing is the #1 item on my Top Ten List of things I most dislike, (okay, operative word is really "hate")....However, the Lord gave me such a gift the other day, I must share it.  A bit of history first:  a few years ago, I ran across some very old letters I'd written my mom just after she left me, when I was about seven years old.  When I opened up that box and began reading those letters, it was as if salt had been poured on an open wound I didn't even know was there!  The pain gushed up and I could not suppress it any longer.  It was so intense, it felt like I was having surgery with no anesthesia!  I went through some serious prayer time with my mentor, Paula, and we uncovered the root of that pain, dealt with it, and the wound healed.

Now, fast forward to just a couple of days ago. . .I'm packing, going through boxes that have been stored in a closet and find those same letters.  I pull one out.  Three pages of my hand-written letter on bright orange paper.  Classic.  I began reading this simple, ADD-sounding letter that I'd written Mom when I was around 8 years old.  I don't stay on the same subject for more than two sentences, but throughout this letter, I keep saying, "Boy, my arm is getting tired." . . "Boy, Mom, my arm is really tired!.". . ."Did I tell you how tired my arm is?" . . . and then on the last page, I say, "I'm telling you for the third time, my arm is so tired, I don't know what I'm going to do!"

Okay, maybe not as funny to you, but as I read that letter, I busted out laughing so hard, tears were running down my cheeks and I could not stop laughing!  In fact, I don't even remember reading this letter several years ago when I first came across this box.  Whether I read it back then or not, the release of endorphins I got from reading it the other day was just what the Doctor ordered.  Gary and I had a tough night the night before and we both were feeling a little down, so that letter brought much "goodness" to my heart the next day.  That's just ONE benefit to downsizing...you never know what treasure you might come across that's been hiding in a box stuffed in a closet.

One more treasure is this:  when downsizing, I've found it's important to go through everything to determine if I want to move it or not.  The last three moves I've made have been up sizing.  In that case, I would think, "Oh, I can take that...I'll have more room anyway."  So I didn't carefully dispose of things I really didn't need.  But while downsizing, I'm getting rid of things I've carried around for 10 years that I absolutely do not need: papers, bills from old credit cards I don't even have anymore, etc.  Now, that feels great to shred all that unnecessary stuff I no longer need to tote around.

The whole cleaning-out phase has been quite liberating and exhilarating too!  I love giving stuff away.  My dining room table is full of my "trash" that someone will make their "treasure."  That makes me happy.

One thing I know for sure:  I will never have this much STUFF again!  That's a good thing! Amen!