Heart Maintenance

 Happy day dear friends.

It has been a while since I've wandered down this path

of blog post writing hasn't it?

Old paths are not forgotten.

They hold on to strings that secure the heart.

Many of you who have been here a while

already know my heart tends to lean towards long ago times.

It seems the more the world rushes forward

chasing technology, current trends, and cyber everything,

the more I recede into the folds of history.

For the past month or so, 

I've been doing what I call "heart maintenance." 

The man who was like my second father growing up

passed away the end of January.

(Did I mention that previously?)

It was not unexpected, but we are never really ready for such things.

It kinda hit me.

In addition, there have been vile words shot out

from so many directions in our society.

I've shunned nearly all news opting instead for silence.

I've tried to avoid going into any public places.

Of course it could vary greatly by area,

but having beliefs yelled at you 

regardless if you agree or disagree is not pleasant.

It's just wearing and disheartening.

I've chosen to focus instead on those few things

that I know to be steady and kind.

The winter weather is subsiding and there are buds on the trees and bushes.

Though it's not really growing or very green,

I mowed the lawn.

It was so shaggy and mowing cleaned it up tremendously

until it starts growing for summer.

I'm anxious to get out into the garden

but know better than to plant too soon.

It does one good to listen to the birds and get caught up in digging in the dirt.

There's something healthy about the dirt.

I've also been working on "fine-tuning" in the realm of decluttering.

You would think I had next to nothing left, but ah - always more.

I'm going through about 30 years of photos.

It's difficult because if I put it away, it's as though it disappears-

but it doesn't go away!  Errrg!

I am making progress, but it's tedious.

I've also been going through the computer.

I am down to 116 emails in files.

My goal is 0, zero, zip, nadda.

It's difficult when there are legal correspondence (estate)

and genealogy information.

Here is part of my receding ~

I have my little old Acer with lots of family pictures,

my iPad with books, and the large mac computer with some pictures

and files (docs.) etc. 

The Acer barely works and no longer connects to internet.

The iPad is on it's last legs, won't open many pages, and will just go black

while in the middle of reading a page.

The space-hogging mac is not far behind these two and is now evidently allergic 

to anything that has to do with photos.

I got a new lap-top and an external hard drive and

am working to get everything moved to one spot

which is another tedious job and is proving trickier than it sounds.

Once I have everything off of the old pieces, I will dispose of them

and have one computer slightly larger than a book.

I want to minimize the sources of pollution in our home.

By pollution, I mean anything not welcome both internal and external:

internal like news or ill humored media and

external like unhealthy lights or toxic chemicals.

I can't do anything to change what I've not created or what others do,

but I don't have to welcome it into my home; I can refuse it.

It doesn't prevent it from being, 

but it does keep it from infecting my heart and my home.

This sounds extreme, but I can feel the difference.

My heart is getting better. 

In addition to all of this,

I still go to work and have to deal with the current issues

facing anyone trying to run a business today.

I realize this post is kinda all over the place - 

that's my life right now.

But you know what?

There is something else.

Inside, secure in my heart, wrapped with those strings

that always hold, there is a peace.

I know my heart is in the right place and

whatever becomes of this day, or tomorrow, or the day after that,

it is well.

Someone far greater than I has it handled so

I don't have to worry.

And this is where I'm at.

Hidden away in my own little life that might seem insignificant

to anyone looking in from outside.

But full of faith and fortune knowing we are all called home at some point.

I actually find comfort in that rather than fear of it.

We all need to know our heart.

It can sure be difficult with so many distractions

vying for our attention.

All I can say is, once you focus in-heart, it's worth it.

Quiet the noise.

Dim the glaring lights.

Still the busy.

Calm the chaos.

Rid the excess.

And then. . . you will hear your heart.

And that

is a beautiful thing.