Years ago I had the great good luck to know an old Franciscan priest named Fr. Francis.
He was already in his late 70's then, but he zipped around town in a beat up car, got in a lot of minor fender benders, laughed a lot, always wore a simple brown robe... he was full of life and energy.

One day someone asked him if he would like a scooter to drive around the neighborhood (to give the car a rest), and I was standing next to him when he said, "Oh, no. I have to guard against having too many possessions."

That line has stuck with me for years, although obviously I haven't practiced it too well. But isn't that the honest truth- in our society you have to constantly be on guard against acquiring things. Stuff comes on the mail, freebies are handed out, people give you things, you buy things. Stuff, stuff, stuff!! It's like a constant battle you have to wage. It wears me out. Fr. Francis really owned little (anything?) besides his old car, his brown robes and the beat up watch he wore. Yet he was one of the happiest people I ever knew... makes you think, doesn't it?

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I don't believe in miracles; I depend on them

I was just thinking about that. I want to get rid of the stuff that is weighing me down. Every time something leaves the house, I feel a little calmer. I have a long way to go, but I'm sure I will get there someday. I want to do this for my children's sake. I don't want them to feel their self worth from the amount and type of things they have!!

I know just how you feel. The more I take out of this house the better I feel when I walk in! I physically breath a sigh of relief when I walk in knowing that clutter is leaving this house more and more!

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~Home is where your heart is~

I too want to unload and feel free. My problem is waht to do with it while I am freeing myself. What do you do? Just load it in the car and when it full take it away! Any ideas???

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Lisa

Even when freshly washed and relieved of all obvious confections, children tend to be sticky. ~Fran Lebowitz

That is a great question. I know I have a big box going for things I want to unload, but then I don't feel like I've accomplished much until the box is gone. Right now it is just more clutter in the garage. And if the kids see it, they start looking in it, so I have to hide it .Maybe I need to set up one day a week to unload stuff or to post on freecycle

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I don't believe in miracles; I depend on them