Where Mother Nature’s concerned, every jar counts.

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I know it’s not headline making, but I’m going to share it anyway.

I cleaned out my fridge.

I know. I know. Not the earth-shattering news you were expecting, but if you’d seen the inside of my fridge, you’d understand why it’s such a monumental feat! (and yes, Alexis, I did it without you!)

I was ruthless.

Out of date? Gone.

Only a dribble left in the jar? Gone.

Don’t know what it is, even if it’s not expired? Gone.

Know what it is but have no idea when I’ll use it next? Gone.

It felt great to clear out those clogged up, cluttered shelves. But in the end,  it wasn’t actually the cleaning of my fridge that became the big deal, with the BIG LESSON attached.

It was deciding to clean out and recycle the 30 some jars I tossed.

I admit it. I threw them into the garbage can first.

And then I thought about cleaning them out and recycling.

“But that will take foreeever!” my critter mind hissed.

“Don’t you think you’re exageratting just a little bit?” my voice of reason responded.

“No!” inisisted my critter mind. “You don’t have time. You’ve got better things to do than clean out jars. And anyway. Who cares? What difference are a few jars from you going to make?”

Fact is. Those few jars could make a world of difference to the world.

And therein lay the debate.

To ignore my worldly impact in even the smallest things I do, or to accept my responsibility and the fact everything I do has an impact on the world.

Was I going to take the easy route out, or do the right thing?

In the end, ‘the right thing’ won. As it should.

Because to have thrown out those jars full of moldy, hardened and mostly unidentifiable substances would have been to contribute to fodder in the landfill. It would have meant I carried with me the knowing that I did not take the time to do the right thing by Mother Nature, the environment and my fellow human race. It would have meant carrying with me the shame of giving into the easy route, the downhill path, the road of least resistance.

I spent an hour scraping out and cleaning the jars. Some went into recycling and some to a girlfriend who likes to make jams and jellies. And BIG BONUS!  I also gave my conscience a clean bill of health. What could be better than that?

I cleaned out my fridge on the weekend and in the process, cleared out some old and hardened thinking about the impact and capacity I have to make a difference.

It may not sound like a lot, but every jar counts where Mother Nature is concerned.

Namaste.

 

7 thoughts on “Where Mother Nature’s concerned, every jar counts.”

  1. you missed an opportunity to cook a fantastic recipe – ‘fridge-clearing soup’ …. sometimes a mystery, but probably 75% of what you tossed would have mixed well together in a pot – you could have brewed that while your jars were in the dishwasher ..

    m

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    • Ahhh, but in an effort to preserve energy, I also did not use the dishwasher — and instead spent an hour in quiet meditative silence cleaning out the jars — and believe me — most of what was in them was not fit for any pot! 🙂

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  3. Good for you! Not only healthy for the environment but mental health too! Isn’t it nice when that little thought in your head reminds you that your fridge is clean at home? LOL.
    My daughter is all into konmari! (Google it if you haven’t heard of it…) she/it inspired me and our church rummage sale is the better for it! (Thankfully it is scheduled in a few weeks so it made me a little more generous) You are supposed to ask each item if it gives you joy) 😀 After 20 big huge yard size bags later… and then we started on our garage and my last day off was spent organizing some more… it feels great!
    One question… why didn’t my daughter go for it when she still lived at home and I wanted her to clean her room!?
    I would say… Okay now get all your trash… then all your papers, then all your books, clothes, toys… for some reason she waited till somebody else came up with a similar strategy and made 6 million dollars off of her books on the subject! Arghh!
    Enjoy your clean fridge… Love the Cleaning out your fridge Soup idea that someone else suggested… though I’m not sure that sounds too appetizing. LOL.

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    • Wow! I shall go check it out Di!

      As to the Soup — lol — as I mentioned to Mark — I’m fairly sure 90% of what I tossed was not fit for human, nor animal, consumption! I did make a beautiful butternut squash based soup with various leftovers — and it was delicious. In fact, because it snowed, I had to bring in all my tomatoes — so I tossed the green ones into the slow cooker too!

      Enjoy your Konmari benefits at your rummage sale!

      Much love dear friend.

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