Evaluation Time

My 15 year old granddaughter is a free spirit.  She has funky hair and wears different colored socks. She plays with little kids and hangs out with other teens.  She tells her little brother evil penguins are going to take over the world, but even he doesn't believe that -- much.  She's a good student, but very scatterbrained.  She's what every young girl should be.

 I was a free spirit at that age too.  That was in the 60s and everyone thought I was stoned all the time.  I really wasn't.  I was happy, a happy hippy.  

I noticed a while ago that my brain feels heavy and tight.  You know how a high school kid's backpack full of books feels like a 50 pound dead weight?  You know that do-it-yourself guy who likes to tighten things just that one last turn?  That's how my head feels.

I look at my goofy girl now, and at my groovy hippy self then and compare it to now.  Experiences, thoughts, catastrophes, events, failures, decisions good and bad, responsibilities, and discipline have filled my brain up full and tightened it up to that last deadly turn.  

 It's time to clean house.  There are no more deadlines, no more reports due, no more children to raise, and my health is good.  Why would I need all that other crap?  My aim is to get rid of what isn't necessary to keep.  Can I use it?  Will it do someone else some good?  Will it help me in my future life?  If the answer is yes, I'll hold on to it, if it is no, out it goes.  

 I'm going to stop and smell the roses, and dodge sucker punches the best I can.