Spring Clean

Running through the streets of my childhood town, I see familiar places with a different perspective.
The piazzas where I once chased school friends, the little shops where I bought toys and chewing gum, the school I attended, and the bars where I used to hang out – they all appear both familiar and foreign at the same time.

Living in the present moment is already challenging in itself. My mind, at least, spins back and forth between past and future, reliving past moments and emotions and projecting possible future ones. It becomes even more difficult when we have a trail of "things" from the past hanging around in our minds, our homes, and our lives.

As I clear out my childhood room, which I will likely visit for the last time, I feel as if a weight is being lifted from my shoulders. It's as though I'm shedding emotional baggage, as well as physical and intellectual clutter.
I feel lighter.

This experience prompts me to reflect on my life back in Australia and the importance of setting rules to keep my own house and soul clear from accumulating things and thoughts that no longer serve me.
I need a spring clean, so I can move forward and make space for the new and the present.