As I enter into the cusp of middle age this year (just turned 35), I don’t want to waste the minutes, hours, days of my life anymore.
Things still feel impossible to me, like tackling unending weeds in every corner of my yard, sorting through the piles of stuff accumulated over the years, ending systemic evil, and even tending to the unconscious caves of my heart. However, I have learned to take one small action by one small action. It’s enough to start to save me, in the words of Bob Beverley, from my waste.
Maybe you, too, are drowning in piles of stuff, literally or figuratively, that weigh you down and make you think: Change is impossible; my apartment, my yard, my world will always look like this.
Start small.
I just started by allotting myself twenty minutes a day to sort through stuff, even though I knew it would take much long to achieve the overall goal that I desired. Inspired by others, I am now working through my home, one closet at time, creating systems of organizations in order to end the constant piles of stuff in my house. That twenty minutes matters. Or, when anxiety weighs on me, I start by talking with my therapist, who bit by bit brings revolution into my life. Or I pray, the prayer igniting a fire of energy in my body. Or I spend time near others making the changes that I desire, so they can teach me to do the same. Or I sign up for a phone bank, so at least I can touch someone’s life for the Poor People’s campaign. Or I read a book. Donate to a cause. Disable my Facebook feed to free up my life.
Start somewhere. Start today.
Life is short.
“What do you do if you know that you have wasted a lot of your life? Wasted days, wasted night, wasted decades! This weighs heavy on you and I can tell you from personal experience that the miracle is that you don’t lie in the filth of your waste but that you sum up the courage and the audacity to turn things around and do something…and then do another thing and another thing and another thing…and the miracle of motion and action will build you hope and self belief and pride.”
– Bob Beverley
Joy of the Journey 