Pádraig wasn’t big into possessions. Actually, he was not so into possessions that he didn’t want to own anything anywhere near expensive because he couldn’t care enough to not loose it. Take an anorak. Or a phone. Or a camera. They didn’t matter. Weren’t important as long as they were cheap. It was people, relationships, music, fun and good company that counted.
I am slowly getting into that frame of mind where no_thing you can touch (and not eat or drink:) is actually worth keeping. Maybe it’s the digital age that pushes me that way. And made Pádraig think that way, being what some people would call a ‘digital native’. Maybe it’s just common sense.
There is this tendency to convince ourselves that one day we will read that book (books? I hear you asking) or have the time (time? I hear someone else asking) to go through all the personal stuff we keep as reminders of times go by. As least that is what I have been doing… The reality is that I can always get ‘that book’ from a library (or download it) if I really want to read it and not just cherish the thought that I could because I have it. The reality is that I will never have the time to go back through those papers, souvenirs of time, and all this other stuff that makes me so nostalgic – and even if I did have some time to spare, I should probably not be wasting it on getting nostalgic.
So – step one: no more keeping ‘stuff’; step two: getting rid of all that essential ‘stuff’ I’ve assembled over several decades. Because it means no_thing.
Today, I finished a submission to the Social Entrepreneurs Ireland Awards. It’s my second submission, the first one was for The Rosetta Foundation and was rejected because it didn’t focus enough on changing Ireland. There should be no problem with the An Saol submission in this regard. Changing Ireland is what it is all about. Thank you to those who encouraged me to prepare it and who reviewed it!
Pádraig had a very busy day: tilt table followed by Speech and Language therapy in the morning with absolutely brilliant stories, among them about the scandal that the re-enactments at Glasnevin Cemetery of Pádraig Pearse’s most famous speech do not include the first three paragraph – because they are in Irish. Where will this all end…? Then a few kilometres of cycling followed by a visit of a new absolutely fantastic music therapist who will, I am sure, bring great joy and life not just into Pádraig’s life but into our house.
Tomorrow, Friday, at 8pm, it’ll be concert time again, with Pádraig going to St Patrick’s College here in Drumcondra to see a special performance by Liam Ó Maonlaí with his fellow Hot House Flower Peter O’ Toole and guest musicians in the Auditorium of St Patrick’s College. If you are in Dublin and want to join, tickets are €15/12 and can be purchased at https://macalla-liamomaonlai.eventbrite.ie or from the information desk of the Library on the St Patrick’s Campus. Might see you tomorrow night?
Hospi-Tales 
Decluttering, leaving stuff behind is liberating. The letting go of the physical possessions (within reason!) creates this large emotional space of freedom (and a tidier house). Get rid of stuff that is a souvenir. A souvenir of what really? Memories are in the head. And if the memories go away it’s because it’s past their expiry date and new memories replaced them. Good or bad, the now is where we are. And tomorrow today will be just a memory. To judge today by how it will feel tomorrow is burdensome. Funnily enough, emotional and physical decluttering are very closely connected. Get rid of stuff, clear the space, clear the mind!
Thank you for your blog and your incredible strength and effort. It’s inspiring.
You’re right: it’s easy to get rid of yesterday’s newspaper. It’s so much harder to rid of stuff that makes you think of the past. Like in many other cases, clearing the space is difficult and that is why we need to do it!
You’re right: it’s easy to get rid of yesterday’s newspaper. It’s so much harder to rid of stuff that makes you think of the past. Like in many other cases, clearing the space is difficult and that is why we need to do it!