Cutting out Dead Wood

[Lola]

Clearing out has been a big theme with me lately. Digging deep and finding those internal beliefs and thought processes that no longer serve me. Cleaning out and discarding physical items that are cluttering my living space and blocking my energy. This topic has been showing up in my dreams, my meditations, and in my reality for several weeks now. It's good work, but hard. The physical clearing out forces me to deal with packed away remnants of the life I used to have. The emotional revamping entails somewhat painful excavations of long-held definitions of who and what I thought I was. All of it necessary, however, in order to really move forward.

Yesterday evening I noted (for the hundredth time) a big, dead tree along the fence row of the pasture behind my house. I thought, "That tree really needs to come down." This morning, looking out the kitchen window as the coffee brewed, I saw that same tree had crashed down into the pasture sometime in the night. Further inspection shows it took a couple of fence panels with it. Now any plans I had for my day off have been scrapped. I'll be out in the pasture all day, cutting up dead wood and repairing fence.

Already, though, I can see how much prettier everything looks with the large, dead tree out of the way. I didn't even realize how accustomed I was to seeing something barren there. Quite a good metaphor for all the clearing out I've been doing, wouldn't you say?

And by all means, if you're free today, come on by - I'd love some help!

[cdn2wheeler]

Originally Posted by Lola

Quite a good metaphor for all the clearing out I've been doing, wouldn't you say?

Brilliant. Seriously, this is exactly the type of internal metaphor that develops into something concrete.

Originally Posted by Lola

And by all means, if you're free today, come on by - I'd love some help!

Can I work the chainsaw? Can I? Can I? I love things that make loud noises!!

[{aspiring_to_clarity}]

It's so great to hear you are getting rid of the useless stuff in your life that would try to hold you back/keep you down.

I'm in Texas too. Where are you? (If you want to say).

[Honeywith4bees]

Very nice entry Lola. I'm happy for you that you are able to do all of that hard work towards making a happier self.
Just to show how far away from that I still am, my first thought was, "but a dead tree is so useful! Think of all the poor insects and birds that have just lost their home!"

[Angela]

My friend V was so overwhelmed by all her stuff that she would pray that it would all just one day magically disappear. Not being able to let go of things a real source of suffering for her.

One day her whole family broke out in skin sores and coughing blood. Turned out her home was terminally infected with toxic black mold, and everything they owned had to be destroyed, including the house itself. The day they leveled the house, she laughed as loudly as I've ever heard laughter, interspersed with her tears. "Well, I got my prayer answered, alright!"

This morning Danger Man is facing a similar overwhelm, and he told me he wishes a fire would just sweep through and destroy everything. I reminded him of V and he quickly had deliberate thoughts of powerfully letting go, and surrendered his fire wish!

You can let go of item and still have the memory or emotion that you've been associating with it. One way to do that is to take digital photos of the items you cling to.

[Lola]

Break time! I need to eat some lunch and rest my achy arms. Sheesh. The tree is out of the fence and about half of the total monstrosity is cut up into manageable chunks. The fence is repaired, keeping the dogs in and the coyotes out.

So cdn? I'm waiting! Absolutely you can run the chainsaw. I'm pretty strong (for a girl!) but that sucker gets heavy after a few hours.

aspiring, aka fellow Texan - I'm in the Sherman/Denison area - about an hour north of Dallas. Where are you?

honey - not to worry about the birds and the bees. There's still plenty o' wilderness around here to accomodate them all.

angela - good for your friend V to keep a light heart about her "answered prayer" and funny you should say that about Danger Man's fire thoughts. Similar things have flitted through my head, which I quickly let go of! Most of the physical stuff I'm sorting through was packed up two years ago when I moved out and put all my "valuables" in storage. A good half of those things are still in boxes and shoved away in dark closets. Not so valuable after all when I haven't needed any of it for two years. And you know what they say, there's no room for new things or people in your life until you clear out the old.

[Angela]

Yeah, it's funny how stuff takes up room in your psyche, even if it's tucked away in boxes you don't see every day, isn't it? Then again, I guess there's a item or two that bring a smile to my face, just remembering they're hidden in my closet.

[{aspiring_to_clarity}]

I'm in San Antonio. If Texas weren't so damn big, I would be right there to help...it would take me at least 5 or 6 hours, without Austin traffic, to make it to you!

[Lola]

Originally Posted by Angela

Yeah, it's funny how stuff takes up room in your psyche, even if it's tucked away in boxes you don't see every day, isn't it? Then again, I guess there's a item or two that bring a smile to my face, just remembering they're hidden in my closet.

Yeah - and that's why I'm painstakingly going through the boxes rather than just hauling them off to Goodwill as is. There are some things there I DO want. And it's kind of like Christmas - finding those little treasures I haven't thought of in awhile.

Originally Posted by {aspiring_to_clarity}

I'm in San Antonio. If Texas weren't so damn big, I would be right there to help...it would take me at least 5 or 6 hours, without Austin traffic, to make it to you!

Too bad I didn't know you were in SA when I was there in June! Thanks to my impeccable timing, I hit Austin at evening rush hour on the way down and morning rush on the way home. Grrr Austin traffic. I do love that town but the logistics of getting around are getting out of control. I'll try to give you advance notice next time I have a crisis so you can arrange your schedule!

[{aspiring_to_clarity}]

Originally Posted by Lola

Too bad I didn't know you were in SA when I was there in June! Thanks to my impeccable timing, I hit Austin at evening rush hour on the way down and morning rush on the way home. Grrr Austin traffic. I do love that town but the logistics of getting around are getting out of control. I'll try to give you advance notice next time I have a crisis so you can arrange your schedule!

It once took me 8 hours to get to Ft Worth, 3 1/2 of which were Austin.

Do give me a couple of days notice next time!