Hour #12 : Saving Love Letters

"Through Kurt I saw the beauty of minimalism and the importance of music that's stripped down."
Dave Grohl

Came across two boxes full of letters / cards / poems / photos / notebooks etc from past loves.

There is nothing more personal than a heartfelt passage of words presented as an offer of connection and openness. Made my heart feel a little lighter and my soul was touched by how deep some of the feelings were.

It also brought up the question of whether to keep or recycle.

For me it's a simple answer : keep.

There is nothing more minimal than love expressed. The intent. The need. The beauty. The importance to cherish (even though it could've ended badly) the sweet manifestations of this emotion.

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Decluttering : Exploring A Minimalist Lifestyle

“This was a very typical time. I was single. All you needed was a cup of tea, a light, and your stereo, you know, and that’s what I had.”
Steve Jobs

After spending over ten hours decluttering my life thought it was a perfect opportunity to take stock, reflect a little and share some thoughts on the journey so far.

My personal reasons have not shifted and if anything, a number 8. could be added : it's starting to feel good.

Looking around there's so much more to file / donate / sell / bin / recycle etc but already the load is feeling lighter, the rooms are looking cleaner, the cupboards are looking barer, I am feeling freer.

Even though it seems the 100 hours set aside to complete the task is a tad generous, I still believe even if all the clutter from my life is banished the remaining time will be focussed on sharing / maintaining / honing the skills learnt.

The biggest challenge is ahead, that of decluttering my workload and digital life (even though I've made a start).

A big thanks must go to those voices out there who are providing guidance and insights through their offerings (check out the Inspiration page for a growing list).

I'm still waiting for that 'pang of loss'—the realisation something discarded is important—although it's yet to come and don't think it will arrive at all. Onwards.