For Lent, I'd like to say I got rid of negative thinking, or striving, or managed to:

"Get rid of all bitterness, rage, and anger, brawling and slander
along with every form of malice"

Ephesians 4:31

but I'm still getting rid of stuff (slightly obsessed). Somehow with every physical layer comes an emotional layer and it all feels like a big weight off. Originally I thought I'd do one item per day but it ended up being a big pile of 185 things to add to my running list, for a grand total of 365. Because every day matters.

It's actually hard to get rid of stuff, sometimes for logistical reasons and sometimes for emotional reasons. This lenten season was slightly different than my usual purge in that I tried to release more emotionally significant things, asking myself - really, why hang onto this? - something I think is worth questioning of every item in my house and especially in my heart.

I've seen too up close and personal how the inward environment gets manifested in the outward environment. Or how the outward environment mirrors the inner world. One mess can reflect a deeper mess, like strange Russian dolls, making us smaller with every layer. Living in that kind of cemetery is no kind of life for me. So, in the (belated) spirit of Easter, here's to opening tombs and any removing barriers to our inner and outer sanctuaries.

40 CDs
40 more CDs for school physics project
15 cases for school art project
3 gowns to school costume department
5 piles of clothes donated
2 more huge bags donated to Big Brother / Big Sister
2 clothing consigned
1 slipcover and the huge box it came in
1 big bag of Real Simple magazines
1 Print Gocco awesomeness
5 gifts
18 books
18 gifts for my seniors
1 picnic basket
5 pairs of shoes
3 DVDs
2 websites
4 products
1 planter
1 table
1 filing cabinet
1 big rug
11 years of sent email from 2015 -> 2005 (may regret this)
4 ex-boyfriend items, each from a different relationship spanning the past 17 years: a necklace re-gifted, a broken bracelet, a lovely little something, my home-made journal (but saved poem, since it's gorgeous, and since he became famous, ugh.)