Spring conjures up all sorts of images in my mind....it’s absolutely my most favorite time of year! Grass turning greener, baby leaves popping out from tiny buds spaced along what was a seemingly lifeless tree branch 7 days ago! Tulips, daffodils and crocus peeking out from their winter sleep.
But Spring is also the perfect time to consider the whole ‘spring-cleaning’ thing! It’s not only a time to clean and de-clutter our homes and offices, but it’s also a time that we might consider what is cluttering our everyday lives.
Marie Kondo is a Japanese organizing consultant and author who also has a wildly popular Netflix series. Her method of organizing is to gather all belongings and keep only those things that ‘spark joy’. Quite a concept, actually! Imagine holding each item in your life and considering it’s value? It sounds like a great undertaking to me, but it also sounds like the perfect, mindful exercise in determining what really is important and honoring those ‘items’ that surround you.
The concept fascinates me not only in material items and belongings, but also the people and the relationships we honor in our life. There are so many people in my life who ‘bring me joy’. People who I love and see every day, those that I see occasionally and others that I may only see once in a while but when I do, we pick right up where we left off. My friends and my family; near and far....they ‘spark joy’ each time I see their smile or hear their voice.
One of the greatest benefits of being at Pickering Manor for so many years has been the fostering of relationships in this community and with the residents, both past and present, and their family members. It ‘sparks joy’ when I bump into someone I haven’t seen and we both reminisce about the joy and sometimes the sorrow of their ‘person’ we shared in common.
And so, my April message is all about de-cluttering our lives of those items and relationships that do not make us feel honored and valuable and allowing permission to ourselves to keep and nurture the ones that make us feel happy and fulfilled.
Happy Spring everyone....Go out and Spark some Joy!!
Michelle
Michelle Knobloch
Executive Director
