If you have been keeping up with current reading trends you will notice books about simplifying your life are in vogue. As I get older I have a certain need to do this. And having the experience of helping an older family member downsize her large and cluttered life into an assisted living space it has become a priority. In fact the Swedes have a word for it - dostadning - “death cleaning”.
Some people might find that a bit morbid, but honestly, is it news to you that you won’t be here forever? I hope not. As I have started to root around in closet corners and the back recesses of drawers I have come to some conclusions. Why did I think I needed all this stuff anyway? And if it hasn’t been used in the past year it is most likely going out the door. Surprisingly, I have not found myself running after the garbage truck or buying it back from the donation center, so it is true that I didn’t need it anyway. And it feels so much lighter to have less. To realize that I have so much more than what I need is also a true lesson in humility. It makes me strive harder to make life more about substance instead of things for I have found things so easy to divest myself of. And it has made me invent my own phrase “Death Using”.
Let me explain this “Death Using”. There are some beautiful things in my house. Usually tucked away for holidays or special occasions. But as I clean and rethink the pattern of my days, I have been inspired to take them out. Dust them off. Use the Christmas China everyday in the month of December. Burn the beautiful candles. Make something to give away out of my cache of special craft materials. To death use my beautiful belongings before death uses me. Because we’re all going to go. But I believe what we do before we go matters.
Some people might find that a bit morbid, but honestly, is it news to you that you won’t be here forever? I hope not. As I have started to root around in closet corners and the back recesses of drawers I have come to some conclusions. Why did I think I needed all this stuff anyway? And if it hasn’t been used in the past year it is most likely going out the door. Surprisingly, I have not found myself running after the garbage truck or buying it back from the donation center, so it is true that I didn’t need it anyway. And it feels so much lighter to have less. To realize that I have so much more than what I need is also a true lesson in humility. It makes me strive harder to make life more about substance instead of things for I have found things so easy to divest myself of. And it has made me invent my own phrase “Death Using”.
Let me explain this “Death Using”. There are some beautiful things in my house. Usually tucked away for holidays or special occasions. But as I clean and rethink the pattern of my days, I have been inspired to take them out. Dust them off. Use the Christmas China everyday in the month of December. Burn the beautiful candles. Make something to give away out of my cache of special craft materials. To death use my beautiful belongings before death uses me. Because we’re all going to go. But I believe what we do before we go matters.
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