Letting Go,.. Preparing to Receive

A new year, a new decade begins today. It is time to shed ourselves of all that no longer serves us to make room for the new coming into our lives. As you put away your holiday gifts, I encourage you to take the time to purge and to make space in your life, your closets, your bookshelves. As you go through your things, ask yourself 3 questions:

1. Do I use this?
2. Do I love this?
3. Do I need this?

If you do not answer yes to at least one of these questions then it is time to let it go!

I was once told by an energy healer that every thing we own, down to the smallest safety pin, holds a bit of our energy. That thought shifted my sense of the stuff in my life. I'm a 50 year old mother of an eleven year old son. I want to have as much energy as I can to keep up with him. So I have added a fourth question:

4. Do I love and use this enough to want a bit of my energy invested in it?

So much more goes out the door.

As you let go of the things you no longer need, want, use or want your energy tied in with, I invite you to keep the following charities in mind:

The Tone Resource Center needs clothing for homeless students. They need children's clothing for elementary students and adult clothing for high school students. You can drop off your donations at the Tone Resource Center. 3111 So 43rd St. Tacoma, WA 98409. Phone: (253) 571-1875.

The Tacoma Lesotho Connection is collecting books for their book sale. All proceeds from the sale will go to help build an AIDS center in Lesotho, Africa to benefit children orphaned by AIDS. If you have books to donate contact TLC at Director@tacomalesotho.org .

The Food connection will accept the unopened cans and boxes of food that you will not use. The Food Connection is the largest food bank in Pierce County. They are located 1323 South Yakima Ave (former St Leo's school) on the 14th St side of the building. For more information, go to www.foodconnection.org .

Want to shed those extra pounds? Give the money you normally spend on low nutrition, high calorie lattes, cookies, etc to help feed the children most at risk of hunger in our community. For only $24.00 you can provide 60 nutritious meals to the Food Connections backpack program. Go to www.kare4ourkids.com and double click on community challenge to donate today.

May your new year be lighter and may it be filled with good health and deep peace.