Here we are on day ??? of sheltering in place. I’m content. Productive. Happy.
Why? It’s a mindset for me. Yes, I may want to go out into the world to “do things”, but what can I do here instead?
For me it has been a lot of what I call “rage purging”. When I read something that doesn’t make sense to me. When I see someone post something questionable on social media. My response is to clean something. It has always been this way for me. Not just now, in the midst of this pandemic, but always. As a teenager when a friend was excluded from a party. As a young wife when I didn’t have enough money to buy something we wanted but didn’t need. And yes, even now.
So, what will my home look like when this is all over? Well, it will surely be less cluttered. It will be that much less stuff to make decisions about as we approach retirement age. Artwork that has been sitting for years will be hung on the walls. Filing cabinets that were once overflowing are now clearly labeled and sorted so finding things will be easier. The address book has been updated to one that has a both a front and back cover so when I want to send a card or note of encouragement, I can actually find the address.
My classroom is also ready for me to teach a whole new batch of fiber artists new skills. For crying out loud, the barn office even got dusted and cabinets my son built have been hung so I have my dying supplies neatly organized.
The last great holdout is my cookbook shelf. It remains a cluttered mess of papers and printouts and scribbled recipes on envelope backs. There are multiple pages of cookbooks that need to be secured as they are recipes I go to time and again so they page has become sticky and wrinkled and loose.
I too have become wrinkled and sometimes sticky during this time. I however have gotten much tighter in some ways. My back is certainly tighter – as I avoid my chiropractic appointments – there are others who have much more significant issues than mine and I choose to push through and listen to my body when it says stop for today so that others can continue to go see him in his limited hours. I have also tightened up my “ship”. I know what I need vs what I want, and how to tell the difference.
So, think about making your own lemonade this week. There are at least a few more baskets of lemons on our doorsteps.