My old year resolution-cum- action plan " get a big dust bin - today !"

Before the new year forces me to commit to one more new resolution, I am determined to do something this year – place a big bucket near my desk at home and demand that each compartment of my material life dumps a few things in it – and ruthlessly.

Starting with the desk, there are pencil stubs, old pens, leaking ink pens long out of use, few springs without refills or pens, marker pens that do not mark, magnifying glass that has gone hazy, a dried, empty ink pot, rusted clips, stationery papers gone dirty, crumpled or torn, unwanted Xerox copies,  damaged cables and CDs and what not.

In the book shelf, there are old magazines , clippings, some one’s books yet to be returned ( reminding me of collecting books to be returned by friends), damaged books to be repaired and plastic covers to be replaced, etc.

In the wardrobes, there are over sized clothes of my pre-weight loss era, torn and stained clothes neatly ironed but never worn, belts which have lost shine or a damaged buckle, a sock waiting to be paired with its missing partner,  empty perfume bottles, etc.

In medicine chest, there are bottles with labels faded or peeled off, drugs still there after expiry dates, tablets - in tact – but with their use forgotten, rusted scissors, droppers, non-functional band-aids, lotions from gone by era and what not.

Shoe rack has sandals with buckle lost, few laces without shoes, empty shoe polish tins, solidified shoe wax bottles, etc.

In the kitchen, there are cups without a handle or saucers, utensils with screws and rivets that have long got tired, non-stick pans that now stick, pickles and sauces and pasta packs that we bought as an impulsive fad, flours which we  now fail to recognize, and so on.

There are dry-flowers with missing petals, flower vases that are incapable of standing upright, mementos that have lost shines and memories of places visited, dusty little things we do not remember why we brought them home, etc.

In the boot of the car there are cleaning mops and shines which were bought foolishly at gas station, old petrol bills and empty bottles, some plastics, a flashlight that does not flash, some piece of tube and cable which I do not where to fit or from where it came out, etc

In the garden there are leaking pieces of hose pipe, bent and damaged tools, a handle that came out of lawn mower, broken pots, empty cartons of pesticides and garden manure, brooms that can not sweep, etc

In the cell phone, there are stored numbers which have not been used for months, old messages that are not relevant, ring tones which have never been played, pictures that were taken to please someone but never looked at again, etc.

In the computer, all the drive, C, D, E, F, G and USB pen drive are bursting at seams with documents, spread sheets, html etc pages, PDF documents, songs that are no longer played or pics not viewed, draft letters never going to be finalized, programmes and applications and utilities thoughtlessly downloaded and most of them as a short-lived trial versions,etc.

In the Face book account and mail box, there are contacts with who a hello is not exchanged for a year (and equally unlikely for one more year), garbage like exchange of useless verbosity that one can now laugh at, and what not.

And mind you, this garbage is fresh, not more than a year old, lovingly piled up by my inaction, lethargy, faulty judgment of their future utility and inertia to clean the clutter.


Finally my shallow and narrow heart and dirty mind that have become landfills of bitter memories, hurts, insults, respect or recognition not received, harsh word and unwarranted treatment received, prejudices, unrealistic beliefs and expectations, judging people as soon as they or their thoughts appear in the mind,  strong opinions about people and places and incidents , 99% of which are for sure never ever going to recur , giving unwanted advice ( which is nothing but the reflection my own prejudices and  dogmas and unrealistic beliefs and one-off experiences) and what not.


How many people must have been hurt, distracted or distanced by this foul smelling litter spread in the vast land fill!


And mind you, unlike the other garbage that is fresh, this mental and emotion garbage is as old as my mind, body and soul.


I pray my Lord, recycle and destroy that first and help me do it as I embark upon that first, leaving the visible dust bin aside for a little while , if so needed.

Before I resolve for the New Year that is little away round the corner, the time is to bring a big bucket and a strong heart to cleanse, detoxify my home and my life.

Let me stop typing and start doing it today and now.