Possibilities open up when your space is clear. I use the word “space” to encompass not just the physical spaces we live and work in, but also the mental and emotional space that we carry within. These past few months, I’ve been deeply involved in clearing out our family home of 56+ years. It has taken most of my time and energy. As you might imagine, it’s been an intense and emotional process. The home was filled with thousands of papers, photos, furniture, dishes, collectibles, artwork, books, music, family history and memories to process and decide about.

As a family we had to choose, what was being kept, donated, sold or let go of. Tons of decisions were made to clear the spaces and prepare the home for next. Even as things exited, the memories and positive feelings about our family home remained. Those memories go deep and are ingrained within, way beyond the “stuff.”

The clearing of the spaces prepares for memories, possibilities, and experiences that a new family will have in our beloved home. This extreme letting go of the things from within the family home and ultimately the family home itself has been preparing me for a new phase of life...one that is no longer anchored in this home that I grew up in.

So as the layers of stuff have been peeled away, as the floors are sanded and the walls are painted, possibilities open up not just for me, but for others too. What will be is yet to be understood or known; yet I’m feeling hopeful about how things will evolve and shift. And while it's been a highly emotional journey, it's also the natural course of things. We aren't meant to keep our things forever. They, like the people we love, are with us just for a time. 

What have you noticed when your space is clear? What has transpired within and without from your cleared spaces? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Come join the conversation.