When my closet gets cluttered, I go to extreme measures to restore order. I take out everything, dumping it onto the bed or the floor. At first, it seems overwhelming, but if I go through the contents, piece by piece, the process seems simpler and the goal, more achievable.

Sometimes my spirit gets as cluttered as my closet, calling for a serious overhaul.

I analyze each item: Does it still fit? Flatter? Uplift? If not, it is discarded.

What about the fibers? If they are soft and soothing, they stay. If they are harsh or itchy, they go.

The remaining items are mended, if needed. Then put back, one by one, in a space that is now clean and orderly.

A cluttered spirit also calls for a serious overhaul.  I begin the cleaning process in the same fashion I do my closet, dumping out and analyzing its contents, discarding traits and emotions that don’t fit, flatter or uplift, or are toxic, either to myself or those around me.

Perhaps a few pieces of my spirit have been wounded. Those I tend to, mending the best I can, often asking God to help with healing.

One by one, I put back the precious pieces that remain, nurturing and diligently maintaining them, creating a space that is clean, orderly and healthy.

The clutter is now replaced by peace, serenity, love, joy, compassion and empathy, which never fall out of fashion!