The Pen That Ran Out Of Ink

It was a cloudy and chilly Sunday. Perfect day to read and be inspired.

I scribbled notes on my clipboard and then returned to my book. Not long after, I noticed the pen was acting up.

shake shake

Maybe the ink needed to be moved around.

write write

No change. Then I realized the pen had run out of ink. Bummer.

I walked to the office to retrieve another pen and then to the trash to toss this one out. As I opened the lid to throw the pen in I felt myself pull back.

Without missing a beat, my mind began to question the act.

Are you sure you want to throw this away?

This is a special pen afterall. It has that little eraser thing-y, which is still in great condition, I might add.

Do you remember how much this pen cost? Maybe you should buy a refill for it instead of just tossing it.

My inner coach called a time out on that mind debate much like someone dumping a bucket of cold water on my face.

Snap out of it!

I took a step back, pen in hand, and I thought about how I almost let my mind defeat me. I was this close to allowing my mind talk me into keeping a something that had served it’s purpose and who’s time had come for it to move on.

A single pen will not break the organizing bank, but compounded with others it might. That’s how it happens. A little something here. A little something there. Over time the drawer becomes jammed, or the closet too full, or the cars are relegated to the driveway.

Our disorganization doesn’t show up overnight in one large package. It creeps in little by little with our mind running the show asking what seems like well meaning responsible questions.

Keep that in mind the next time you want to organize your way out of the chaos in one weekend. Be kind to yourself and have some patience. Allow it to take time, because that is where the change occurs.

Oh, and the pen was trashed.