Dear Girlfriends,

Could the people you watch and measure yourself against be a source of clutter in your life? I think we have too much "stuff" in our eyes.

When you watched the actors on the Golden Globes-- what did you see? A woman with a fabulous frame in a gorgeous dress? Did you feel a bit frumpy lying on the sofa in your faded nightgown and old fuzzy house slippers? Know what I saw? I saw women who looked HUNGRY. Get those girls some mashed potatoes--they're wasting away!

When you drive through beautiful neighborhoods with perfectly manicured lawns and houses bigger than the Mall of America--what do you see? The end-all, be-all for having "arrived"? I see homes with baggage--too much upkeep and too many darn rooms to keep straight!

When you watch the other 10-year-old kids running out on the soccer field while your son sits on the bench--what do you see? Potential stars with college scholarships? Are you convinced that your son's future earning power has been quashed before he hits fifth grade? I see a child whose substance and patience are being formed while sitting on the bench, allowing him to grow into a man of character, not a self-absorbed, "all about me" adult.

When you watch a female co-worker make her way up the corporate ladder-- what do you see? A woman who seems to get all the breaks? I see a woman who has vision, determination, discipline, and diplomacy to hold her own in the corporate arena.

My point is this: The "stuff" in your eye and how you perceive life on a day-by-day basis has everything to do with what you compete for. Not if you compete; most people compete on some level for something every day--a tennis match, a 10k run, or to be the first in their company to hit their sales quota. The type of competition I'm referring to is the one that creates clutter in our lives. It's the competition to be on par with others in order to fulfill one's self-worth.

And the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. Mark 4:19

What are you competing for? And when you win--what will be your reward? There's no earthly tiara or trophy at the end of the game. We all get the same prize: a shiny pine box with handles.

Cut the clutter. Life's too short.
Ellen

Posted by Ellen on April 3, 2007 12:18 PM  |  Category: Cutting the Clutter