BoomerGirl Diary

Seeing and reading about all the horrible natural disasters happening around the world is heartbreaking to me. In just the past few months, hundreds of thousands have been displaced after losing all their worldly goods that was once their homes. Stolen from them by floods, landslides, earthquakes, tornadoes, fires, and hurricanes (as well as wars). So many families and individuals no longer have any possessions from their past and no sense of normalcy in their lives.

The awareness of other's misfortune (not "bad Karma" as Sharon Stone poorly stated), always stifles my whining about why things can't be improved upon in my small personal space on earth. It makes me grateful for all that I have. Makes me appreciate the many "things" in my possession. Items that bring back fond memories and give me warm fuzzies, and photos that captured good times. The tragedies of others keeps me from pouting about the changes I would like to have happen in my home and surroundings. The pouting stops...for an hour or so.

Not to make light, in any way, of what so many are faced with, it is just my reality. My selfishness takes over as I get tunnel vision and see only what is in front of me. Well, all around me. I take a look about and it seems like a natural disaster has already hit my simple home!

What once was a clean and tidy corner of our house is now strewn with so much clutter it makes me want to yack! Stuff I "can't touch", because it's "not mine" and I might "lose it" (a.k.a.: put in a place better suited for where the item should be), just continues to pile up unorganized. Full blown clutter, collecting in pig pen piles.

We had a friend stop by the other day on his way to Panama who needed a place to stay for the night. To be able to give him a place to sleep, we had to relocate numerous items that were stacked on the spare bed just to get to the mattress. He graciously slept with boxes, tools and other odds and ends, surrounding the bed on all sides. There was no getting up in the dark of night for him. If he would have attempted to do so, he would have surely sustained injuries, the least of such being a horribly stubbed toe.

With each trip to the states that Ken or I make, and with each visitor that comes down to stay with us, more stuff is added to our home. When our house was first built we had room to move around with just the right amount of items to fill shelves and still have that open floor plan feeling. Now one has to literally maneuver around items to get from one area to the next.

Fortunately I've been able to keep my one area, the kitchen, organized to where things are easily accessible and not blocking anyone's path. I hope I continue to have the strength, and will, to keep this space I have control over, under control.

I remember once Ken saying how it would be his DREAM to live a life where he could just roll up everything he owns in a hammock and take off on a whim. I wonder what happened to that dream?

I consider weaving the world's largest, Guinness World Breaking, hammock, but instead just take a deep breath and let it out in a long, slow sigh. Done feeling sorry for myself, for the time being, I truly ache for what must be the feeling of total hopelessness and despair of so many others. While suffering more than I could even begin to imagine, they find the strength and ability to somehow get through each new day. They inspire me beyond words.

I mentally slap myself back into the reality of what is the state of our world, and know that my petty complaints are of a spoiled and whiny middle aged brat (did I just ADMIT that?). In the future we might have a big cleaning day and give away all the stuff we don't need. Or maybe someday we might build a larger house and have the space to store everything in a more organize way. OR NOT. At least we have STUFF, when so many have NOTHING.

I wish all that "haves" would reach out and help the "have nots". There are so many ways people can help others in need. Won't you consider checking out a program you can support that will help others who are suffering? At the very least, enjoy and appreciate what you have.....you never know when it could all be taken from YOU.

Today I count my blessings and decide to relax among my clutter and enjoy a cold beer. Hmm... now where did the cooler full of ice and Imperial beer go? Guess I'll just have to dig around a bit to locate it, and I'm happy to do so.