Tuesday, March 23, 2010

"Slipping Through My Fingers"

This morning was like many other mornings at my house. I woke up at the same time, wandered around the house, made my hot tea, and then went upstairs to wake up my 11 year old daughter Juliet. Through our sleepy eyes we did our morning exercises together. We laughed when we bumped arms into each other and giggled at our awkwardness. This girl is such a joy!

After breakfast, and after she and her 6 year old brother Dylan were ready for school, I loaded them up in the car and took them to the bus stop. After a tight hug and sloppy kiss, Dylan ran to the bus with the same burst of energy that drives him every day. He stomped all over the worms that were scattered out on the road due to the early morning spring rain. Juliet took a bit more time to walk to the bus. Her long curly golden blonde hair drifted over her face as she looked back and me and smiled.

I let out a long sigh of relief and gratitude that she looked back. It does not happen that often anymore. Her life does not revolve around mine anymore. Her absolute adoration for me has now been replaced with friends, boy crushes, and dreams for her future. Oh, I know that she still loves me, but it is not the same.

My love for Juliet has never changed. With each step she takes, I know she needs me less and less, but that does not mean that my love has wavered. In some ways I think I appreciate her even more. These days are quickly slipping through my fingers. I am trying to hold tight, but I cannot stop the hands of time no matter how hard I try. As each chapter ends a new one begins. This chapter is full of fun things: girl movies, make-up, and shopping. But I can’t help to flip back through the pages of the last chapter and feel a sense of longing and regret. Did I realize how special each day was? Did I hold her enough? Read to her enough? Did I stop housework to listen to her special little stories enough?  Did I do enough to place her on the path to the person she is supposed to be?

I hope she and I can continue to grow a bond that time cannot take away. May my life weave through her, so that long after I’m gone – she and I will still be a special pair, and may she look back at these days with even a fraction of the fondness that I have for them. Yes, I see her slipping through my fingers. I feel her emotionally growing away from us, and looking forward to the person she is going to become. I have full faith that person will take good care of her. Until that time, I hope that I can continue to focus on the grains of her childhood remaining in my hands, rather than focusing on the ones slipping through my fingers and blowing gently away, forever gone, in the wind. 

Betsy

Friday, March 19, 2010

Training Wheels

The time has arrived that one of the last toddler items in our home will soon be cast away.  My 6 year old son Dylan is ready to ride his bike without his training wheels.  He has become quite the bike rider with his training wheels; whizzing up and down our driveway like an expert biker.  It is going to be an adjustment when he realizes that those little noisemakers were really giving him extra balance.  But, without taking off his training wheels, he will never learn to truly balance and trust himself.

This poses a question for you, what training wheels do you still have firmly attached in life?  Are you using something as a security blanket?  Is there something or someone that you are leaning a bit too hard on, so that you don't need to trust and balance within? 

Many of my clients have found themselves immersed in clutter as a result of bad habits.  They often do things, collect things, save things, shop for things, and even sometimes hoard things because it is what they have always done.  Those things seem to prop them up, give them security as they ride through life. 

What will happen if they kick off those training wheels?  Much like my son, they will probably fall flat on their face a couple times.  But the real strength comes as they hop back on the bike.  Soon, they will begin to trust in themselves and not the annoying noise-makers that used to slow them down and hold them back.

My dear friends, I ask you to give a thought to what is holding you back today.  Let me assure you, that you don't need the clutter in your life that seems to give you the comfort.  You will be stronger without it.  The more you let go, the more you will learn that you are so much more capable than you have given yourself credit. 

Take off those training wheels and ride like you have never rode before...

Betsy

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Wonderful Signs of Spring

I can't say this has been the worst winter I remember. We had a mild November with a few days that did not even require a jacket. Not bad for Pennsylvania! My family had a wonderful vacation in December followed by a perfect Christmas. A nice start to the 2009-2010 winter season.

It seems the evil tide turned sometime after the New Year. We seemed plagued with days upon days of nothing but frigid temperatures, dreary skies, and icy weather. The snow in February was fun... The mess the snow left behind was ugly. After awhile even my kids started to get annoyed with going outside in the snow. We all started acting like caged in animals, desperate for some roaming room!

This past weekend the warm-up began. My friends and family were all rejoicing over 50 degree weather. Scott and I took the kids for a bike ride and it just felt good to breathe in non-stale air. There were piles of snow everywhere, but the hope of spring was under it - and the reality of that was incredible!

I can't say that spring was always my favorite month. I actually found it quite boring as a child - no sledding, no swimming, but now... (((gasp))) it is so much more than that. It is life; it is new beginnings, a rebirth of everything around me that had hid itself from the crippling grasp of winter. Even the springtime air smells different - new, fresh, and alive.

Oh the wonderful awakenings that I am so anxious to see in the upcoming days. I have heard (have yet to see it for myself) that the flowers are starting to come out of the ground. I would love to chat longer, but I am going to open up the windows, grab a sweater (it is only 50 degrees mind you) and go sit outside and soak up some good old Vitamin D!

Make sure you take a moment in your crazy lives to go outside, tip your chin upwards, and allow that beautiful sunshine to spread all of your face.

Keep it simple,
Betsy