Decluttering

I've taken on the task of helping my 86 year old dad declutter his house this summer. The decluttering has also led to assistance with banking and bill organization etc. I knew at the start that this was going to be a time consuming project. At the beginning my thought process was to go in and just get the job done.

Day 1 started with dad's desire to clean up the breakfast room. Art supplies and paper everywhere. Task completed and dad was pleased with the result. We've since moved from there to the kitchen, the dining room, the living room and now we are into our 3rd day of dealing with the den/office area. 

I'll usually bring a salad or a home baked treat to share out on the deck and then we get to work. The time that we are spending together is precious and so beneficial for both of us. I know this helps to motivate dad and give him some direction in what was becoming an overwhelming situation. 

I have been rewarded with lessons of patience as I deal with frustration and learning to adapt to an evolving situation. Some days end up being more about computer help with forgotten passwords etc. I also have to remind myself that what I envision is not necessarily the same for my dad. I practice minimalism and dad is no where near that same ideal. So I am careful to always ask before putting an item into the donate pile. When he eventually moves into a smaller place I know we will be doing this all over again.

Often our time sorting through things leads to discussions about the item and its history. Dad enjoys sharing the information and I enjoy the history and quality time spent together. And I know that at times I am a bit too pushy, but if I wasn't, very little would be accomplished. Its about knowing when to push as I help him to see the benefits and when to back off. 

I really feel that Kung Fu has helped me to increase my ability to step back from a situation and see things from different perspectives. Understanding that we are all at different levels of awareness, ability and understanding. What works for me doesn't necessarily work for the person in front of me at any given time. And when I do get frustrated I am learning to step back and readjust my perspective and come at it from a different angle. 

Namaste everyone!