I realize the act of cleaning one's desk and clearing away paperwork is a very powerful act of renewal. Each time I do it, I feel I have cleansed my soul and that I have put my life in order.
Maybe I am somewhat neurotic after all. I have always thought quite proudly that I was cool as a clam, immune to the stresses and anxieties that other mere mortals succumb to. But it seems that I have my Achilles' Heel too. I need to feel in ccntrol of certain things, and nothing is as satisfying as cleaning a large pile of paperwork and whittle it down to nothing.
Paperwork in and of itself is of course insignificant. What is significant is the thing they symbolize. Credit card bills - my spending habits, my monthly expenses, my psychological need for shopping, etc. Med school applications - self explanatory. Taxes, statements, insurance forms - life of the adult and the dreaded word: RESPONSIBILITY. So tackling paperwork usually forces me to reassess my adult life and see where I'm standing. It's a measure of how in control of my life I am, or not. It usually serves the purpose of making me more motivated too, since I now have that feeling of control, instead of powerlessness.
Really, cleaning paperwork, who knew it could be so powerful and therapeutic?
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