Sparks of Joy

Mary wants to learn the clarinet

Yes, this is an instrument we already own! 

It's the next best thing to the saxophone. 

Wild Turkeys in the Tree at Dawn

Birthday Flowers

World's Best Cake

It's early in the morning and I'm up. Today's the day. The room cleaning event. We're going to tackle Mary's dwelling space.

Hitherto this would have brought out the dark. It's the next battle in the war between mama and the girl's stuff.

Not now. I've turned a new leaf. DON'T LAUGH. I'm serious.

The winter of 2014 was the worst installment yet of S.A.D. That is, seasonal affective disorder. This is when people in Minnesota start to forget that life is not eternal winter. Beyond the weather, everything starts to feel dark and cold.

Not this year.

This year we are facing February with a Spark of Joy. It's the new Kotrba catch phrase. You see I read Marie Kondo's best seller, The Life-changing Magic of Tidying Up.  http://www.amazon.com/The-Life-Changing-Magic-Tidying-Decluttering/dp/1607747308. I'm a believer.

It's listed in the spiritual section. For good reason. For many of us, our relationship, whether at peace or war, with our stuff, is a lynch pin of our mental and spiritual health.

Marie's mantra? If the item in your house does not give you a spark of joy, get rid of it. No, ifs, ands or buts.

After the event? What's left? We are surrounded only by things that bring us joy.

So why is this spiritual. The catch phrase is contagious. Not only are the free samples of hair oil not bringing me joy along with college notebooks of Texas government 101--perhaps there are behaviors and relationships that don't bring joy. Suddenly it's not just your house you have an urge to tidy, but your whole life.

As I have long suspected, it isn't just the silverware drawer that needs wiping down, it's my attitude. When we start looking at EVERYTHING through the lens of whether it creates a spark in us, many things become instantly clear. We are the captain.

I'm not a victim of my stuff, nor the schedule or anything. Taking life's items one by one and deciding whether or not to keep them, refines our decision making skills.

I'm keeping my husband. And the kids. And the cats. And the bunny. And anything that has to do with ferns.

Last week I took a class in advanced technique and I'm following up with private lessons with Kathie Faricy. Learning and growing is a spark of joy. Finding a technical curriculum that can apply to every child, not just the ones that "get it." That's a spark of joy.

Getting the Mozart ready to video. I'm on take number 237, but dammit, I'm not giving up until I get it perfect. Perfect Mozart is a spark of joy.

Organizing the Suzuki Association of Minnesota Fall workshop in February is a spark of joy.

Realizing that it's not some vein perfectionism in me that wants to have my ducks in a row, but a God given instinct that when our lives are in order, it frees us to move past the tidying to service.

It's like knowing the notes so you can actually make music.

I've had some conferences with a couple parents lately. The kids are just not digging piano.
Yeah, okay, maybe it's just not his thing. Kids are busy, you know how it goes. Adolescence is tough stuff.

No.

I'm not accepting that. It's our job, IT'S MY JOB to create that spark of joy at the piano. It might mean some new repertoire. It might mean a come to Jesus about the practice schedule. What brings us joy at the piano? Playing good music really well. That is where the joy comes from. Everybody has to earn it. Success leads to success.

Work before play brings a spark of joy. That's just another word for discipline. Self-descipline. We have to facilitate that.

Marie hit the nail on the head with this book. Finding sparks of joy in everything also means having a consistent attitude of gratitude. Thanking the people and things and activities in our life for their service, and letting go that which is no longer of use. Might be that extra slightly melted spatula, or it might be the lingering thought that we aren't good enough.

If I can tidy the gosh-darned sock drawer, I can tidy my brain. Separate the grain from the chaff, as my sister would say.

What's left? Beautiful. Useful. Joyful. Confident. Grateful.

The other day someone asked me about my email signature. I have this at the bottom of my emails automatically and I forget that it's even there. Maybe I've known about the life-changing art of tidying up all along.

"Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things."  Philippians 4:8
Paul doesn't say "and purge the rest." Maybe Marie's thoughts are just the next step.

In a hour or two Mary will be up and the room tidying will begin. It's her room, It's her spark of joy. I want her to feel that satisfaction of being surrounded only by things she loves. Bunnies. Books. Scarves. Little necklaces. Papers. Notes from little girls. Silly bands. A rubber ball collection. Gymnastics trophies. Kindergarten art projects. Notebooks. More notebooks. Birthday party gifts that have never been opened.

Okay, I'm already losing the spark. . . wish me well!  If we're not done by 5:00 p.m. I might need the spark of joy that a good glass of cabernet brings.

That girl is her own spark of joy.

Thanks for reading.
Love,
Sara