Defragmenting Life

Every so often my computer gets the hiccups, and then I know it is time to go through the files, dump all of the junk and run the defragment program on the hard drive. Most of you probably know about defrag, but for those of you who don't (and should)... As you work on your computer, adding, deleting and moving things, your hard drive gets disorganized. Bits and pieces and fragments get scattered around and then it takes longer for your computer to find what it needs. Defragmenting puts everything back where it belongs. Ta-da!
I find that my life needs a little defragmenting now and then. Some of the problem is in the physical realm where I just need to sort through, throw away the junk and put everything else back in its rightful place. But other areas sometimes need work too, like my schedule or priorities.
The biggest indicator in my life that tells me I need to defrag is our diet. When the convenience foods start appearing on the shelves, it's time to look at my schedule. Yes, "fast food" is, well, faster and therefore easier. But it's not better and it means that I am having to take shortcuts because some other area of my time management has gone haywire.
People often have a misunderstanding of what it means to have a simpler life. It is not doing everything in the easiest way possible. It is doing the best job at the things that you do, but doing fewer things. How many of us stay-at-home moms have been told by those who aren't that they just don't think they could feel "fulfilled" doing what we are doing! I would suggest then that they aren't doing it right. There is a great deal of satisfaction in becoming proficient at the diminishing home arts. Having the mailman want to stay for dinner because he can smell the wonderful aroma from my kitchen or having a friend ask me to teach her daughter how to Hardanger (Norwegian needlepoint) are among the highest compliments that I could receive. Better yet is when my husband or children would rather that I do something for them than others because I do it better.
And since I have never been complimented on a box of macaroni and cheese, it may be time to do a little defragmenting in my life! Dump the junk, put everything back in place and Ta-Da!

*originally written 3/9/06