William Penn Life, 2017 (52. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)

2017-02-01 / 2. szám

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Aging Well

7*

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Clearing home & soul

ONE OF THE SIGNATURE SIGNS of a fresh start begins with the Christmas stripping: the tree comes down, as do the lights, stockings and pine; the ornaments and Santas are tucked away for another year.

I opt for a clean and lean look in my home after the holidays as a visual prompt to a clean launch into the new year. I think long and hard about how I want to approach the blank canvas of things to come. I am a goal-oriented person, so this creative process is a necessary navigational tool.

I take good care of my surroundings realizing that I will most likely be indoors more than out. Preparing for the planting of seedlings for the year 2017,1 declutter drawers, closets, baskets and cabinets.

For me, this is an emotional ritual. As I physically pitch outdated objects and clothes I no longer wear, I purge my soul, too.

I learned firsthand about the healing of doting on personal space some 20 years ago. Just a few years after getting married, the light went dim and I chose to raise my daughter on my own. With a heavy heart and crumbled self-esteem, I began to look for a place she and I could call home. My father was a real estate agent at the time, so I had the inside track for the hunt. After weeks of looking,

I finally found a house that spoke to me. My dad looked at me with a question mark imbedded in his forehead. "It looks exactly how I feel," I said.

I needed this house, and it needed me. The structure had fallen prey to a foreclosure. "Smelly" said my two year old when I showed it to her, "bad smelly." Unlivable at purchase, I bought it for a song with some additional funds to remodel. I did a lot of the work myself along with a few best friends who donated their time, talent and love to repurpose the house and repurpose me. With each coat of paint I felt more stable. I used color to heal and

Photo © Can Stock Photo/72soul

drywall to reestablish. I had a contractor do the things I couldn't. I leaned into him as needed, but I also learned volumes.

The entire experience served me then, and it serves me now. Creating a living space with purpose and meaning is a life lesson that will never leave me.

So, in the barren of winter, I toil in my nest and in my soul, ridding the messy habits of both. I don't need seven coats; I need one and the opportunity to create warmth for six other people. In a quest for whole living, this ritual comforts and keeps me. I favor this time to be humble, to rest and breathe.

Cathy Graham is director of the Graceful Aging Wellness Center at Bethlen Communities in Ligonier, Pa.

Enjoy a taste of Hungary today!

The Official WPA Cookbook- Over 500 recipes - Hungarian favorites & other tasty dishes- Kitchen tips from Chef Béla - Information on cooking, dieting & entertaining- PLUS an enclosed book stand

$

20

(includes shipping & handling)

For your copy, make your check payable to “WPFA Scholarship Foundation” and mail to: WPA Cookbook, William Penn Association,709 Brighton Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15233

All proceeds benefit the William Penn Fraternal Association Scholarship Foundation, Inc.

WILLIAM PENN LIFE 0 February 2017 0 13