It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…nawww, I can’t completely channel Charles Dickens, because right now we’re not experiencing a tale of two cities per se; we’re experiencing something much bigger. It just so happens to be that this thing that is so much bigger comes along with more time than many of us know what to do with; but then again, it’s just the amount of time that many of us need.
Some of us are experiencing a personal reckoning of sorts. In this time of required “stillness”, we’re not only staying put to protect others, we’re also staying put to discover & rediscover ourselves. In many cases, we’re spending time coming face to face with things we have never taken the time to see when it comes to our own reflection, or maybe it’s possible that we saw it before, and just needed to be reminded (cue the horror music😳)
I’m not sure what you’ve chosen to do with your time thus far, but I foolishly (or not so foolishly) chose to start purging some items that I had stored in the garage. Now, when I take away the fact that I tripped down two steps or almost fell from a ladder last week (yes, my clumsy gene is reallll dominant), this purge was rather interesting. I came across a lot of things that needed to be discarded because they had no use or no longer served a purpose, but I also came across many things that reminded me that I DO serve a purpose!
Life is life, and along with it comes some experiences that are really good, and some that are really bad. It’s the stuff that all of personal stories are made of. As I went through boxes, I flashed back to some pretty rough moments (personally and professionally) that reminded me of when some things were taken away, or when I was wronged or hurt; but I also came across many things that reminded of some pretty amazing moments when there was complete joy, impact, fun, and purpose. I promise you, the number of good memories I unpacked in that garage far outweighed the bad; but do you know which ones I remembered without having to look through the boxes….the ones that caused me pain, hurt, or disappointment. Unfortunately, our brains are wired this way. It tends to be easier to remember the bad stuff than it is to remember the good stuff, but that’s where choices come into play. We have to make a choice to flip that mode of thinking, because the good almost always outwieighs the bad.
Looking back at some of the “mess” in those boxes reminded me that I could hold a grudge like nobody’s business. Thank God for deliverance, because holding those grudges could equate to unforgiveness which equates to self-imposed burdens, which could also lead to misery IF we allow it; and we can’t allow that. We have too much life to live to be carrying all that heaviness.
Sometimes we look at a purge as throwing away what we don’t need, but it is also holding on to the things you should have never let go in the first place….things like your purpose, your passion, your calling, your joy. The passion that you turned away from just might be in one of the boxes you packed away…OPEN IT, you might surprise yourself!
Purging is not just about obliteration & elimination; it’s also about resuscitation & restoration. There’s a piece of you waiting to be discovered… maybe even revived! When the time presents itself, remember it is always ok to P.U.R.G.E. (PRESERVE what ULTIMATELY RESTORES your GOD-GIVEN EXUBERANCE♥️). You are who you’ve been waiting for all along!
Be BRAND NEW and START SOMETHIN’!!!
Brand New Me-Alicia Keys (I Love this song, by the way!!!) Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’-Michael Jackson
Life Is But A Song 