Kelly Exeter always tells me amazing and useful things.
I say ‘me’ but she actually tells all of us, it’s just that the things she chooses to say seem to be all about me. She has a knack of doing that thing that Sylvia Plath once said about being “a voice speaking from my own soul”.
Yesterday she gave me some great things, all of which have been running around my head all night. I had a night of wakefulness and what seemed like non-stop dreaming, so I know there was a lot to process.
One of the things that stuck with me was the concept of space. Of how two things simply cannot occupy the same physical space at the same time. The blog link was about thoughts, and how we can’t have a positive and a negative thought at the same moment, so we need to prioritise just how much mind-space we want to use up with junk.
I’ve expanded the idea to consider our physical space, the toy cupboard in particular. Take this lego on my floor right now for example:
They say there is an average of 67 blocks of Lego per person on Earth. I think we have more than our share.
There are so many of those pointy little foot-stabbers in that bucket, that it is overflowing. The Evils get the bucket out most days, and most days I have to shove it all back in the cupboard and close the door quickly, lest it all come tumbling out.
Me: Liam, I think we have too many toys, and waaay too much Lego. We can’t possibly fit another toy into that cupboard and the Lego bucket itself is overflowing. You can’t possibly use it all, and in fact I think you only ever use the top layer. Perhaps we could give some to some kids who don’t have any? The way it is right now you can never get a new toy, because two things can’t occupy the same space at the same time. You need to clear out, in order to make room for new things to come into your life.
Liam: I like the old things. I don’t want any new things. Other than computer games, and I have heaps of space on my hard drive for those.
Me: But there might be new things, new opportunities and experiences you don’t even know about yet, and you’re limiting yourself because you don’t have space to fit them into your life.
Liam: Don’t worry, I can get a bigger box.
So there you have it, the wisdom of Liam. No need to clear out the clutter, just get bigger, improve, stretch, create new boundaries.
Someone once said, “The mind, once expanded by a new idea, can never regain its original dimensions.”
Expand.
Oh, and he also solved the problem of getting to the bottom layers.
And that’s not even all of it!
Do you have Lego that appears to be breeding?
Do you have space for new stuff?
…From The Ashers xx
Liam’s insight is refreshing – instead of decluttering, he suggests expanding, embracing new ideas and opportunities. A youthful perspective on growth and the boundless possibilities of the mind.
Absolutely! It’s akin to acquiring a larger handbag – you end up filling it with more things to lug around all day. That’s precisely why I’m enamored with the tiny house movement.
Currently, we reside in a duplex originally not designed for a family with kids. However, now it accommodates all four of us, along with my practice. It’s remarkable how, somehow, we manage in a space that used to only comfortably house Nath and me.
It’s as if the mind operates differently. Just like expanding your family and discovering that you can indeed love another child as much as the ones you already have, despite initially thinking there’s no more space for love. You realize that your capacity to love is more significant than you imagined.
He has these cool multi colours filling type of small drawers rom office works that stores them well and they are not too deep that he knows where everything is – best $38 bucks I spend!
looks just like our place, I’ll upload a picture of Master P’s actual lego city! He has it all propped up and cardboard bottom and an airport, shopping centre, school, tow trucks, caravans, police and fire station bloody too many fricken helicopters and he has the smallest room in the house! AND its his Birthday next week and guess what we got him… *face palm! Oh the joy of my lie ins listening to him moving lego pieces around on the hard plastic after rolling out his drawers full of the stuff and tips one out on the floor – BUT its all in the name of expanding his creativity I guess…. which is why we do it hey? xx
I thought the Lego phase was over here, until I tried to chuck some out today- now it’s back: they played it ALL DAY. Wouldn’t go to the beach or even for a bike ride. I had to drag them outside for an hour to squirt them with the hose (pool is too cold apparently). Weirdos.
I love how kids can see the simple and positive side of (most) things! Looking at that image of your Lego collection feels like looking into my future – I’m currently dealing with an explosion of Duplo but at least they are bigger pieces (easier to pick up but still hurt like buggery when you step on them). I hate to think how much Lego we will collect over the next decade. Handy Hubby is excited about the concept but I don’t think he has thought about storage issues. You need something like a play n wrap – a circular play blanket with a draw string that holds large amounts of Lego so you don’t have to pick up every little piece!
Yes, Tash- those mats are perfect until the kids want to carry the stupid spikey stuff all over the house!
Oh god. I love Liam’s solution … but I couldn’t do it!!
I have another theory, the more space we make, the more we can fill. But that doesn’t mean we SHOULD fill it!
Yes! It’s like a handbag- get a bigger one, fill it with more crap to CARRY AROUND ALL DAY.
I think it’s why I’m in love with the tiny house movement.
We currently live in a duplex that was not intended to have kids in it, but now it has all four of us, PLUS my practice. I don’t know how, but we fit in a place that before could only fit Nath and I.
Perhaps the mind is different, perhaps it’s like having more kids- you know how you think you can’t have another because you have no more space for love, you’re full, you think you couldn’t love another one as much as the one(s) you have, and then you do and you can…?
“Get a bigger box” is such a positive solution! 🙂
You know I go on about this all the time, but it’s true – when bad things happen, you can complain and moan and rant, or you can look for a positive solution. I always try to look for the positive nowadays.
And isn’t it funny, how when we really look, there IS an upside. Demartini always says that too- and according to him, the upside is equal to its opposite.
Just trying to see the positive of having ALL OF THE LEGO dumped on my floor right now…