Clutter

Right before New Year's, every year, I undertake a major "spring" cleaning project of closets, cabinets, and all that jazz. I get rid of stuff I don't need, want, or care about, and my life, at least for a month or two, is clutter-free.

But stuff builds up, ever so quickly. And I find myself burdened with much of the same stuff I thought I'd gotten rid of; worse since New Year's comes only once a year, by the time it swings around I'm drowning in stuff. In clutter.

Had a nice long phone conversation tonight about clutter with someone who I don't think even knows I write about these things. I told him that I hit upon the solution to my "mess" a couple of years ago, through a serendipitous chapter in a Christian philosophy book on, of all things, simplicity. That's the life we should all strive to live, stripped of all but the bare essentials. To me, those basics are God, His Church, and the people I choose to love. Let's include specifically that "whoever"-I-choose-to-love-and-wake-up-next-to-for-the-rest-of-my-life.

Plain and simple, isn't it? We tend to complicate God's plans with our own hang-ups and issues and whatnot, but His clarity and simplicity cannot be discounted. He loves us so, He would love us to love Him so. And to love others the way He does. But most of the time, we forget the simplest of His instructions.

Anyway, going back to clutter. We're blessed to be able to determine, through our individual freedom, what kind of situations we will or will never put up with; what kind of people will extend our limits; what kind of friends are worth standing by in times of turmoil. To some extent, I've begun to put my foot down when it comes to events I'd rather not be at, or occasions I do not approve of - whoever can do whatever during those opportunities, but the consequences should be borne.

Life should be plain and simple, black and white. Yuck and Yahoo!, the way I've been contemplating it. At this point, I'm thoroughly disgruntled, frustrated, fuming, and indignant at some people (some person?) who I thought could have made so many fabulous somethings out of their - his - life but instead choose to idle away precious, God-given time on whatever. Well. Like I told that someone (advice that apparently continues to be ignored), a life without direction is no life at all - a life frittered away to nothingness. And yes, idiot, you know this is you because you yourself told me, once upon a time but very recently, that you're a loser. And yes you are, if you choose to believe in this kind of defeatist doctrine that people like you insist on perpetuating. Truly indeed, you ARE a loser if you choose to do be one. Remember that once upon a time, I told you that I have no friends who are losers; and if you choose to be a LOSER, consciously and willingly, then you are definitely no friend to me. Sorry, but of you wish that, keep as far away from me as possible - that kind of loser-dom is pathetically contagious. Stand in the corner, exile yourself to East Timor, or something.