Creating Closure: The Key to Opening Up

Creating Closure.

some years ago
i abandoned organized religion

although i loved the pomp and the pagentry
it seemed hypocritical and a mite queer
kneeling before the pudenda
of sexually repressed people
to be blessed
how odd

i abandoned as well
certain traditional family practices
i mistook my freedom and liberty
for a libertine attitude
which left me somewhat ill-equiped
to live wisely in a complex world

i had inadvertently abandoned valuable closure practices as well

over time i would "get rid" of stuff
by turning off
getting offended
leaving
trashing
tossing it out
and sometimes in a harsh dismissing manner
rather than by properly completing something
or bringing healthy closure
to the situation

today that has changed

i was a person
clutching things
even insignificant things
things easily replaceable

this is what i did
i first knew and understood
that i needed to have closure in my life
with certain things events and experiences
symbolized in those items
i needed to replace a symbol
with another symbol
and money
had little to do with this kind of exchange

i needed to decide for me
what that might be
what new ritual symbol or practice
might help me part with my stuff
and what's more
impart some new energy to that item
i saw how this could substantially lighten my load
and open my life for new experiences and things
like travel new friends and creating new kinds of wealth

in the process of finding a solution
my partner and i decided to have a garage sale
when i brought out boxes of things
unopened for years
i found mysteriously that the first items
that people wanted to buy
were the ones i least wanted to part with
"oh no! you want that?"
there were signed books by beloved mentors
precious items that i had clutched for years
evem a cherished mountain climbers snap shackle
can you imagine
a shackle
what did that symbolize?

after qualifying the persons
and finding them worthy
i related the story of the object passionately
and what it meant to me
then blessed the precious items i had been clutching
and with gladness of heart
albeit it somewhat remorsefully
as in a farewell to a child
sent it on its way
i felt happy and joyous inside
knowing something precious in my life
had moved out wonderfully
with peace
and with my fullest consent

imagine
offering a little pleasure to a stranger
by sharing yourself with them
in this manner

it seemed that the first items
that people wanted
were my precious things
priceless things to me
how could i even sell them
for money
so i gave them freely

one by one
i was challenged
and one my one
i passed these precious items on
each time
the pleasure grew greater and greater
until finally this gorgeous young brunette
found a necklace i had especially made for one of my performances

after explaining the circumstances to her
i handed the beads to her
looked into her glorious eyes
and said
here you may have them as gift

you should have seen glow in her eyes then

i thought
this was so wonderful
what i had been clutching all those years
had now become a new resource of joy
in the pleasure of giving and sharing

now i looked back at all the other things
of far lesser value
sprawled out over the makeshift tables and though
after parting with my jewel
yes i can let all this stuff go in a heart beat
in fact
maybe after that sale
whatever is left
i will simply toss into a big box
for the Good Will
which i did
as the thought came into my mind
tomorrow at this same
came the very moment
i changed my heart

needless to say
after this growing experience
my entire outlook on my things changed
i wish now to acquire finer things
that i might give them
rather than clutch them
knowing that every time i practice closure
i am opening up a little wider
and living a little fuller

try it
see if if works for you