note to self – jello molds

I am enjoying reading all your posts from beginning to end (in case you are wondering how come I am leaving a reply for a 2008 post :) )

I admire you for taking this on, and for minimalizing everyone’s possessions in the process.

I went home to Romania a few years back and while there, decided to organize my mom’s pantry. See, my mom is in the “everything you might need in the kitchen” business, so you can imagine what her kitchen cabinets look like.

I finished everything in about 2 hours, the whole kitchen, and kept some basic rules, like the most used pans, even if in terrible shape, keep them, keep one more or less of the similar ones, and get rid of items that you can only use for one thing.

It looked great, so great that you could feel the energy moving with so much more ease.

Well, my mom had a completely different reaction, even if she was very into the idea when I started.

She burst into tears… and at that point I was so confused.

I was visiting after a long time, my mom was crying, I could not take things back, they were long gone to the dump… so I started talking to her as much as I could, trying to fight the “what the hell!??!” feeling.

I was so humbled to understand her pain. She came from a poor family, with 9 brothers and sisters, she didn’t have much when she grew up… To her, accumulating all that stuff was comforting, it meant success, it represented her work of a lifetime.

I am the opposite really, and have been ever since I moved out of my parents place and started creating the space for being myself, but having lived in both worlds, Eastern Europe, and USA… I understand her.

I learned to let everyone take care of their own stuff. I support them, encourage them, guide them… and that way they make their own progress real.

Ok… back to reading.

Great stuff!

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