Wednesday, January 1, 2020

New Year's Turn Around: Becoming a Minimalist

I have decided to become a minimalist.

It seems to be the result of a long journey really; a quiet yearning in my soul that was blessed with an "Aha!" moment as I watched a documentary on minimalism. "THIS is what I want!  THIS is what I have been longing for!" I said to myself.  And my "Aha" moment turning into an "Aaaaaaaaaah" moment with a big sigh of relief.

But of course I don't quite know how to do this with four adults currently living under one roof - a roof Drip Dry and I have lived under for over 32 years.  We and our children have acquired a lot of stuff in those 32 years and it all seems to be screaming to be released from overstuffed closets.  The same desire came over me around the same time last year and I quietly trimmed down my wardrobe to an acceptable non-working level.  I weeded out some of my humongous book collection which used to be the pride of my heart.   I threw out some old sheets and towesl and I boxed up some extra vases and endless sets of Waterford salt and pepper shakers.   I even started to rebox my grandmother's china which was sitting in our basement - untouched since we moved into the house all those years ago.  But then I stopped.  Half way through.   Lost my energy.   Got sick.   Really sick.   And never picked it up again.

Until. . .

Until the Christmas season snuck up on me once more and my family wouldn't allow me to leave town for the duration.   Nor would they allow me to stick my head under a pillow and sleep it away.  So I devoted my hate of Christmas over-decorating-over-eating-over-buying-and-over-stuffing to purging the junk from the drawers and closets.  "Aaaaaaaaaaaah!"

And now it's time to experience the cathartic relief from writing once more, but I'm not sure how to go about it.   I purchased a simple little black journal that I envision a minimalist using and I also pulled out this slim little laptop the Drip Dry bought for me last Christmas and has only been used once a month for paying bills.   Both my pen and my keyboard are poised and we shall see which one wins.