Just Enough
Spring has sprung and birds are chirping. They call us as we open our windows and they remind us of the nests they take care of. They’ve been very busy gathering their twigs. The birds don’t have too much of anything. They seek what they need and gather just enough to make their home perfect.
I’m reminded of how my nest needs help! I have too much stuff in my nest!
So I’ve come to the conclusion that I have more than just enough. Yes, it’s time to pare down. I long to be like the bird with just enough in her nest. I hope the birds will be proud of me because it’s time for a spring clean out and oh, how I long to sing in my clean nest!
What needs to be done to make my nest “just enough” ? Everything! Attic clean outs, closet clean outs, basement clean outs and garage clean outs! Well, this is too overwhelming…I need to fly from my nest!
But then, the little bird sits at my window sill and reminds me that I don’t have to accomplish this all in one day. “Fear not” says the little bird. “Just take it day by day”. And with my new friend’s advice I do just that.
Then, the stress begins to rise again as I realize I have no boxes or bags or bins to make this happen! I look to the window and my friend has taken off. Despair sets in once again. I have had “enough” and yet I haven’t even begun!
“Ok” – I say to myself. “one day at a time and one step at a time”. In a distance some birds were chirping and I wrote down some goals which really helped me. I took old medicine to the Municipal Building for the Medicine Drop. I took old batteries to the Cherry Hill Public Library. I took old tvs and computer monitors to the Woodcrest Shopping Center Goodwill (it’s a drop off location for that stuff). I took plastic bags back to the grocery store for recycling. I took and I took and I took, but yet there was still more stuff! The overwhelming feeling came over me again, but then I saw another very small bird while driving today. He was carrying the heaviest twig! It was twice his weight..maybe three times! Poor little guy! How was he ever going to do it? I slowed down and saw him take off with his twig. I figured if he could do it, so could I!
It makes me feel good to know that I’m at least not just throwing stuff away, but I’m finding a place for all of it. How lucky I am to live in this era where there is a place for almost all of this stuff. There are places to recycle and places to upcycle… places for toxic things and places for almost anything. There is so much to learn and so much to give! But if my friend can do it, so can I. I’ll be careful what I bring in to my home and I’ll be careful with what I buy…I will bring in, just enough.
Resources:
Goodwill Drop Off: Woodcrest location takes TVs and computer Monitors (working and non)
Cherry Hill Library: takes batteries
Cherry Hill Municipal Building: takes unwanted medicine
Wegmans: takes plastic bags for recycling
Mary Troost is a guest blogger and was a vendor participant at this year’s Earth Festival. She invites you to visit her site: www.cherryhillyardsale.com where you can list items for sale, browse and shop locally, and find local Yard Sales, and Events.
Cherry Hill Yard Sale: Sell your stuff! www.cherryhillyardsale.com Buy and Sell Marketplace for Cherry Hill, NJ and Local Surrounding Areas.