Sometimes in life we not only clean up our own mess, but we clean others mess too
Having been in conversation with a friend who’s grown child has just Left for university and found that their house is now much tidier !
Sometimes we neglect our mess and expect others to do the cleaning for us
I’m speaking metaphorically here
I have dedicated my life to cleaning up other people’s mess or helping them to cope with their grief or pain then facilitating them to clean up after themselves to work stuff out.
This in a phrase has been ‘my life in pastoral work’
either in my church roles or in a work related role !
We are in a big mess in the world and who is going to clean it up?
The government you shout!
The ecologist you hope!
The council we pay!
The church at least ?
Or do we each one of us have a responsibility to make our own little worlds better?
We can start by listening to one another – one of the best gifts we can give to each other is our attention!
In this fast paced technology driven world we neglect those we are near due to the entertainment and obsession we have in the palm of our hands .
I’m as guilty as the next writing this whilst on the train ignoring my neighbours who want to be ignored,but if push came to shove in a crisis we would need one another.
Separation, autonomy,isolationism is an enemy, To the community to the village but we know the village has its own challenges.
Cleaning up requires change, it requires work,it requires our dedication.
I’ve recently been cleaning up myself,getting my MOT,sorting out my stuff!
After years of neglecting or not having time to catch up with some of my emotional pain and grief,I have spend time investing in myself by visiting a psychologist and practicing meditation and working through my stuff – there is a back log, there is a thin thread running through my life which has gained momentum and size growing until it became a blockage and when nothing could go in or nothing would come out except for pain . I was burnt out!then I knew it was my time to help ME out !
Reading this you may be one I’ve helped you maybe one who’s helped me, you may say forget it and get on with life.
You may fog it out with activity or alcohol or even drugs you may drown it out with noise but the mess is still there and like my friend who is now working her way through her child’s vacant bedroom little by llittle black bin liners full of stuff need sorting .
You may be one of those folks who sorts it as you go, that’s great no back log no pileof papers or you may have buried it in the backyard.
You may be dwelling in the past and missing the present or fearing the future ?
You may not let yourself get too hopeful for fear of disappointment .
But one thing I know for sure this stuff needs sorting so go and make yourself a cup of something, go into a quiet place make a list, get a bin liner and put you excess unwanted garbage in it and like me you will begin to feel lighter, be stronger ,walk taller ,laugh freely and hopefully live longer
From one pearl to another
Peace and love
Mags