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Out of date?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.