"Do one thing every day that scares you." Eleanor Roosevelt

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Autumn in New Hampshire

Kitchen table musing ....

I have been working at the kitchen table this afternoon. The table is covered with paper and binders; paper that seems to mysteriously multiple and at some point, must be dealt with.

I used to think that it was 'someone else' within the household who was responsible for the piles of paper ... but since I am the only one who piles paper, it has to be me. I can't blame my children and their activities -- they don't live here any longer! No, not my husband - he sorts, discards or shreds, or places paper in a specific location (such a bill to be paid) immediately. No random piles on the counter for him ... except for the one that he creates from the mail every day for me.

Why don't I deal with the pile daily or at least every couple of days? I know from experience that it is easier to 'just do it' -- one piece at a time. But, sometimes, I touch the same piece of paper two or three or more times.

But, I am trying to change ... recently, I received an invitation to a wedding. Within a few minutes, I had opened the invitation, filled out the response card, and sealed the return envelop. I mailed the response the next day. A few days later, I received an email that said I had been a first responder from the guest list. I liked that -- a first responder. Motivation, for a while at least, to tackle the counter build-up more than once a week.

Wish me luck!