After a decade in the same office, my department has moved to a different floor, where everyone on staff has less space.
For weeks, I’ve been the only one excited about the transition. Finally, after 17 years at various jobs in a windowless room, I am able to gaze outside. It won’t be quite like the last time I had a window — when I looked out at fountains and a reflective skyscraper in Sacramento — but it will be a morale booster nonetheless. I enjoyed watching the blowing snow on Monday as I moved into my new digs.
Still, the downsizing has been laborious. In recent weeks I’ve tossed out many files and dragged home dozens of books. Providentially, for my recent 10th anniversary service award — before I knew of the office move — I picked out an oak double-wide bookcase for the home. It’s full now with all the materials I’ve brought home. My wife is thrilled with all the extra tomes.
The whole experience has shown me that I’ve collected way too many newspaper and magazine clippings, memos, letters and even books over the years. While my streamlined office is a bit cozier, I’ve only surrounded myself with the “most important” stuff. That’s probably a good lesson for any Christian on the topic of consumption. I’ve traded in many books for future credit at the local used Christian bookstore, and given others away for the upcoming Friends of the Library sale.
Congrats...windows are awesome.
ReplyDeleteHaving recently experienced the need to "downsize" and get rid of "stuff", I can sympathize with the process of sorting. It was an agonizing ordeal as I looked over stacks of various objects that held memories of family and events of my childhood and happy times. But keeping it all was not possible. Finally my husband said that wanting to keep all of this "stuff" was just an attempt to hold on to the past. Holding onto this "stuff" was hindering my moving on into the future. The more that comment sinks into my heart, the more ready I am to go back to the "stuff" I've put in the KEEP pile, and transfer it into the GIVE AWAY pile. I wonder how much that comment applies to other, non-material "stuff" and suspect it has a broad application: resentment, bitterness, hurts, slights, anger, disappointments, ... I know I need to do some sorting through this "stuff" too, and dispose of these in the THROW AWAY pile. Lent provides the opportunity to do that.
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