"Love the moment. Flowers grow out of dark moments. Therefore, each moment is vital. It affects the whole. Life is a succession of such moments and to live each, is to succeed." -Corita Kent
It's Saturday night and I am happily cuddled up at home, all by myself. I'm wrapped in a cozy blanket, wearing the comfiest pants ever and a big, warm hoodie. I've been trying so hard to stay positive these last couple of weeks. Big changes are happening in my life and although I know that everything is very close to getting much better, I can't help but feel impatient in this moment. The above quote in bold is my affirmation for the next while, to help me get through this transition. I think that it's very important to try to remember the value of every moment, and not just the good ones. (Notice that I said try.)
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Last night was Liane's birthday bash; the Langley ladies came out in full force, plus her husband Colin, and yours truly. We hit the mics at Fantacity downtown for some cocktails and karaoke. The private room, complete with disco ball, was perfect for those of us who think we sound much better than we actually do. We kept each other entertained for hours with a plethora of hit songs and sweet dance moves. I would definitely recommend this place for a fun night out, especially if (like me) you're not into the city bar scene. It's definitely a fantastic alternative.
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This morning, Jessica and I woke up bright and early. We were on a mission to get organized. With my upcoming move and her adventures in South East Asia and Central America beginning next month, we both felt in the same boat with regards to having a desire to purge many of our possessions. Upon beginning to pack my boxes this week, I must admit that I was absolutely astounded by how much “stuff” that I have accumulated. I knew that I had a lot of clothes, but the number of shoes, bags, purses, hats and boxes of cheap jewelery that I own really shocked me. In fact, to tell you the truth, I was quite embarrassed. I did a big clean out a few weeks ago, but clearly, I just skimmed the surface. As I started going through it all, I realized that a great deal of it has not been worn more than once or twice, if that. A ton of it, I didn’t even know I still had, because I haven’t seen it for so long. Lack of space in my room now has resulted in having to find clever ways to store things (consequently, leading to me completely forgetting about a lot of it). Years of working in the fashion and beauty industries haven't helped. A shopaholic as it is, when free clothes and products are thrown my way, I find it difficult to say no. The cupboards and closets just keep getting more and more jam packed as time goes on. It struck me how ridiculous this is.
There is no way that I need all of these things, and honestly, I feel like a jackass that I even have it all. Fight Club came up in the comments last week, and it's ironic because that movie really makes you think about possessions and what they actually mean in the grand scheme of things.
As a solution, I thought it best to pay it forward; to share the wealth, so to speak. Jess and I loaded up the car today with tons of bags of our stuff and headed off to the Union Gospel Mission.
I can't tell you how amazing it felt to hand over these things to somebody who needs them.
My heart
breaks every day for the souls who are less fortunate than myself. I certainly know how lucky I am to have more than enough to get by. Homelessness is a cause that I feel very passionately about. There are people all around us who need our help.
Through Homelessness Awareness Week people living in the Greater Vancouver area are invited to learn more about what is causing homelessness; how homelessness affects the health of individuals and society at large; and why working together is the only way we will solve the crisis of homelessness in our community.
Back in June, Matt posted an entry on his blog that, in my opinion, really says it all. It brought me to tears because he so eloquently articulated what is in my heart about this issue.
Go to the Stop Homelessness website for more information about what you can do.
If we aren't here to help one another make it on this planet, then what the hell are we doing?
3 comments:
amen! good post!
it's kind of funny how you never realize how much stuff you have til it's all packed up in boxes and sitting in the middle of the living room waiting to be moved and you just stand there, stare at it and think "...where the hell did all this come from...?"
Wow, I haven't seen a kareoke room with a disco ball yet, even here in Japan. Looks like a blast!
I know what you mean about possessions though, they accumulate easily. I have been slowly getting better at throwing things away -- mainly out of necessity. You just only have so much room :P
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