When’s the last time you went through your closets? I got carpeting a couple of weeks ago and brought all of the boxes that had been in the closet downstairs. My daughter confirmed that I was looking a lot like a hoarder. However, I am determined to get rid of stuff my children will not want when I die. I’m sure you’ve heard of the Swedish custom of dödstädning, “death cleaning.” My non-fiction book club read The Boomer’s Burden last year, and I was shocked when all three of my children refused the souvenirs Dad brought back from WWII. My oldest at least listened to the story of my dad’s front line experiences, the few he shared with us. But that’s another story
The topic this year is inspiration. While going through a box full of my mementos, I ran across a letter from a friend of thirty years, Jim Gieseler. He told me that I inspired him. Single mothers impressed him, given all that they had to do. When I was going through a messy divorce and poverty with my three beloved children, I could not see what I was supposed to learn from the experience. I have faith that God loves me as much as I love my children (or more), but I’m not sure he has control over what suffering we impose on each other — free will and all. Now I read this letter and I know my suffering was building character and showing others how to strive when odds were against them. My friend has five children. His life could not have been easy. But I am grateful that he saw the best in me and told me so.
Who is inspiring you? Have you told them lately? What’s keeping you from it? Do it now. Time is never promised.
