Renew your youth, Renew your soul…….

I had no idea that painting an apartment could be so fulfilling. That is what I did on Sunday. I woke up, said my prayers, freshened up, went to brunch with the boys and painted all day. It is a wonder that I haven’t finished painting my apartment before now. I still am not finished and while this feasibly could have been a simple two week project or less, it has turned into about a year long event. My house looks so much better. There are no weird marks that make no sense on the walls or nesting marks from a former tenant. Or worse: smashed bug bits. It made me feel so good that I super cleaned the place. Spick and Span the place is. In process of super cleaning, I am also acquiring quite a pile for good will. I will soon be making a trip with a truck if I am not careful! It was all so nice this weekend that I opened up wide all of my windows and doors. I couldn’t figure out why it was so cold inside and it was due to me not inviting the sun in my home for warmth. My house is cozy today. There is something to being able to hear and smell the outdoors. It makes me feel good. This morning there was rain that chatted with the plants and was so comforting while I was just rising to meet the day. While yesterday I did not get such an opportunity to spend much time in it, it was nice to come home after a super long day of work and obligations to a clean home which loved me. Last night I was asked to tell my story. Tell my story; this is the second time in about two months that I have done this. While the first time I told it in the same style as everyone else (start from the beginning and go), I started with July 10, 2000 this time. I am supposed to tell what it was like, what happened and what it’s like now. It was plain, drab, a little banged up and with out color, then inspiration (HP) hit without warning or guidance and now I have a yellow apartment with green plants. It is a metaphor for my life in both physical and spiritual meanings. My life used to be battered and beaten by my own will. Where I used to live in Atlanta was really not my home, it was more a place to stay. I was empty and void without hope. Then things changed rapidly and I was swept into these mountains. My apartment is my home, today. It is a place where I get to be me with more hope than I know what to do with in my life. Today, I can’t wait to go to the gym so that I can head home, make dinner, watch a little TV, call my spiritual advisor, prepare for tomorrow, read more of my books, say my prayers and go to bed. And to think, all I needed was a fresh coat of paint!