Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Traveling Lighter

As I was sitting on Facebook tonight looking at the various posts...something just drew my attention. Not that these are in any way connected unless you have a brain that works the way mine does...but because I do find the most random connections...I found a common thread. It seems that everyone - tonight - myself included - is interested in traveling lighter.

One friend was lamenting her displeasure at having to deal with housework. Well, AMEN to that, sister. I am looking around this room of mine that has become the repository for everything e-Bayable (is that a word...unlikely) and/or remotely useful. I had wonderful intentions of getting rid of things in a responsible manner as a New Year's resolution. What was I doing? Trying to distract myself from my normal one about losing weight? Probably.

Now, I'm about ready to just load it up in about a gazillion Hefty bags and get it out of my sight. Old couch? Needs to go. Six coffee mugs that I got for 75% off at CVS at Christmas (of 2007) that are sitting here waiting on me to deal with them? Buh-bye. Oh, and my personal favorite...stuff that is too good to throw away and might be useful...but I just can't...yet? Well, I'm cutting that cord, smacking it on the butt and putting it up for adoption at Goodwill.

And NO, I am not speaking of my children. They can stay...for now. But less time spent maintaining and more time spent just "being" requires at least a strong attempt at trying to travel lighter...

My second example was another friend who commented how she had been on FarmTown all day and was exhausted. If you aren't familiar with FarmTown, I'm probably not the best person to ask, but it is a virtual farm of your own that can morph into a full time job if you aren't careful. Well, today was the day that my sad little farm went into foreclosure.

Anyone (that being me) that is too challenged to figure out the game doesn't need to be playing it. I am on a laptop, and so moving the stupid little cursor thing around was driving me nuts in addition to the sound of the chicken and the incessantly barking dog.

The only part I regret is that my little "person" representing me was of normal weight and her hair looked good. I hope that my chickens, jackass, dog, 78% complete corn, and my trees will go to someone with the good sense to look after them. I'll truly miss the jackass...but I'm sure that I encounter at least one of those daily in my real life, and having one in my virtual life was redundant.

As a result of exiting my game...I'm a little sad...but mostly I feel like a huge weight has been lifted. In my life, I needed to just leave my little farm...and travel lighter...

The third friend was admitting that she had some challenges that she just had to let go of and had finally come to that decision. She realized that the burden (whatever it is...and that's not important for me to know) was more than she felt capable of carrying in her own strength. We Southern women have a wonderful capacity for strength...but that can sometimes be our worst enemy and we will end up walking with an issue far longer than we are meant to. And so she put it on the shoulders of the One who can carry any burden we ask Him to carry on our behalf...and she's moving forward in faith.

I know that at times...once I've relinquished control...the release makes me feel like a kid on a trampoline. Just up and down...wheeee! (Now I've been on a trampoline sometime in the 90's...and believe me, it is a totally different experience as an adult.)

Other times...it seems like my birthday and I'm a year older...I feel the same...but something's different. (Like when you have to move up a category in the age range and it makes you feel old.)

And other times...I'm like someone who has finally gotten glasses. It's better...but I don't really recognize everything. (OH! Leaves...yeah, I remember that...)

But however she is feeling right now...I'll be praying that my friend will be traveling lighter very soon.

Because as you know...the "stuff" that keeps us occupied...belongings, activities and troubles...also keeps us from focusing on the only thing that we can take with us when we go home...and that is people. So, here's to traveling lighter...later!

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