{metaphor for life: clean out your 'fridge}

This whole power outage and cleaning out the refrigerator has left me thinking about how to simplify my life. It's been way too long that I have been spreading myself too thin and not doing the best job at the things I am putting my efforts into. While I was emptying out the fridge, waiting for Maria to show up, I started to get deep into the meanings of some of the items I was all too happy to be chucking into the bin.

How the hell have I let some of these things occupy space in my all too valuable refrigerator real estate? For instance, why are there twelve bottles of salad dressing- old expired ones, new yummy ones, ones I like to always have around that are multi-purpose, and open ones still hanging around that I dislike but keep anyway. All of which I was treating exactly the same, giving the same lack of attention to. Are these salad dressings representing my friends? Or, what about all those condiments? I've never thrown away an entire refrigerator full of food, condiments...every last thing? It was strange. I think the condiments may represent my day to day life, necessities, things I need to get through the every day. Without them, things are more difficult, less tasty. I also threw away some lovely meats that were in the freezer. I have these on hand for special occassions, think about all the time, plan entire meals around, savoring the thought of it all. I had to chuck those like all the rest, and it was painful. Why hadn't I used more of it, planned more meals with all that lovely food, taken the time to defrost and cook it, rather than saving it for a special meal or an emergency? Could all that lovely, expensive meat represent my husband...

Looking at a completely empty refrigerator gives me hope of filling it with meaningful items. Starting fresh and keeping it simple. Not letting the old and useless items mingle with the tried and true, only to diminish their value and dilute what I see when I open it up, looking for inspiration, only to be discouraged and shut the door.