Piles

Albert Lynch

Dear Mrs. Rothwood,

     Spring cleaning is in full swing.  How is your spring cleaning coming along?

     Piles.  A large family in a small house seems to equal piles.  Piles of clothes, piles of books, piles of toys, piles of papers, piles of projects, piles of blankets, pillows, shoes, mittens, cereal boxes.....

     I have to admit, dear friend, that I am getting to my breaking point concerning these piles.  My life seems to be a perpetual cycle of cleaning and moving piles.  Much of it is the season we are in.  The children are no longer babies, so the baby piles have moved out.  The children are no longer toddlers, so the toddler piles have moved along.  However, they are still fast-growing, ever-changing kiddos, so I am in a new season of shifting things around.  Plus, now that homeschooling is largely a thing of the past now, I have homeschooling piles that will be heading out the door.  

     Still, it is a challenge to have a large, hobby-loving family wadded into this little cottage with very little storage space.  It would be such a luxury to have room for things and a place for everything.  Right now the only possibility for that would be to become extreme minimalists, and that isn't going to happen.  My family loves their stuff and hobbies.

     Unfortunately, it feels like my life and talents are being snuffed out by it all as I spend day after day cleaning, organizing, discarding, moving, and trying to make work all of this.  There is very little time, energy, money, or space for my own peace of mind and utilization of talents.

     As soon as this rainy weather pattern blows out to sea I will be able to at least turn my focus out of doors.  That'll boost my spirit.  There are piles out of doors, too, but at least there's elbow room and places to put it and fresh air.

Sincerely,

Mrs. D. Scott