I watch in utter amazement and moderate horror as the people in these programmes show us around their house. Their rooms are packed and every surface is covered. One poor wee woman sits in the midst of her hoard and sobs at the pretty hopless situation she finds herself in. I feel like sobbing with her as I wouldn't even know where to start. I also find myself sitting in my own wee livingroom glancing every few minutes at a pen and a road map that are sitting on my sideboard and feel a bit resltess...I promptly tell myself to get a grip and gain a bit of perspective by returning to the programme.
What's more, I have become very aware of clutter and mess through my work with visually impaired children. Constantly being aware of keeping spaces clear so the children can focus on what needs to be seen has caused me to be annoyingly particular at home too. A therapist guy comes in and shuffles around the womans house and describes it as visual noise. He hits the nail on the head. I feel panicky looking at it and think my visual eardrums are about to burst. And yet, the dear wee woman is weeping as someone tries to throw out a duster as they help her clean. I wonder how on earth she can get so emotional over such an insignificant thing...but we all do it.
We all have things that we convince ourselves we need. Maybe not always physical things, but people, or places, or events etc. I may have a tidy house, but I will clutter my life with other things. For me it was mainly being places and involving myself in things. I hated (and still hate) missing out on things. Before I fell ill, I was out every night of the week, hanging out with friends, invovled in church, exercise classes, shopping or whatever else. When I fell ill, I found it very hard to say no. I felt like the wee lady sobbing over the duster, thinking the world would end if I didn't go to that place or be involved in this thing.
It caused me to re-think what I fill my life with, what is important, and what I really can't live without. I found that the more I cluttered my life, the less time I spent with God. I need to be careful what I fill my life and mind with. Even if I fill my life with hundreds of friends, a packed diary and a house full of pretty things, it is empty without God. Don't get me wrong, it is good to have friends (and I love you all) and be involved in various things, but only God can make me whole and complete.
I don't know what you fill your life with, but ask yourself if you are filling it with the right things. You will not be able to take your precious posessions, your success, even your precious people with you when you die. It is important to fill your life with something eternal and everlasting. God brings peace, fufilment and clarity.
My hallway. No visual noise here! lol
