This week my heart walks out

My family is mid way through the White House Black Shutter’s 40 box challenge. This is a decluttter system which lets me check off little boxes and track progress. If you let me check off boxes I’ll keep working. Silly but true so I frequently leverage this fact about myself to keep moving. We are at 21 boxes.

One if the items which left our house last week was a little pink purse which sang jaunty songs when you played. It was my eldest daughter’s and was passed down to the youngest. And now she’s moved on as well. My husband and I shared a bittersweet smile and waved goodbye.

The littlest starts Kindergarten Jump Start on Monday. On Tuesday our charity golf tournament takes place for the tenth year. Sigh.

In the last week I’ve checked off a pile of boxes.

Haircuts: check
New shoes: check
Teach the little to tie her shoes: Hurrah! Check!

Sign up volunteers: Check and THANK YOU
Stuff welcome bags: check
Pick up raffle prizes: check

There are some things still in my lists and harder to measure.

Make sure the golfers and volunteers know this tournament isn’t really about golf. It’s about foster kids feeling included. It’s about healthy labor and delivery for precious babies in Rwanda. It’s about homeless kids playing in safety. Did the message get lost in the fun?

Make sure my little one knows she’s loved. Make sure she knows she’s enough. Make sure she knows her mama wants her to work hard and learn and succeed but what will make her mama really happy is if she sticks up for the kid no one will talk to at recess. Make sure she knows grace is more powerful than hate. Does she know this?

Harder boxes to check. This week my heart is walking out the door and launching into new spaces. It’s exciting and fun and joyful. And painful. Growth is like that. I’m sure you have similar events happenjng. How do you slow down to reflect and make sure the real issues get attention in the middle of the mess? What boxes do you need to check?