Enough

Yesterday I had a clutter busting session with Brooks Palmer. I've read several books about de-cluttering, but I responded to Brooks' insistence on treating ourselves with gentleness throughout the process. It's so easy to take the path of self-hatred and despair. "How did I let this happen? There's so much of it. Why bother?" Brooks arrived and we began with one bag. Some papers were easy to let go--e.g., old to-do lists, but others had to be kept, such as financial papers. At one point I found myself holding a print-out of a quotation. I subscribe to several "Quotes of the Day" and "Quotes of the Week" e-mail lists, and I've printed some of them out, kept the e-mails in my in-box, thought about writing them into a blank journal--all "just in case" (three dangerous little words to a pack rat) I want to dip back into them at some point.

Brooks said, "You have enough quotes, Carol. You don't need anymore. You already have that knowledge. It's like you've graduated but you're still going to classes."

I realized he was right. I felt it inside, jus the way I feel it inside when I read one of those quotes and get this internal nod. It's all available to me within; I just have to access it. We've all forgotten what we know; we need to remember.

See http://brooks-palmer.blogspot.com for his view of our session. It's a little scary, posting this link, but--what the hell.