Several years ago I got the bright idea to stock up on food. I did this with relish. One of the things I did was purchase a giant tote and fill it with about 50 pounds of sugar.
Why in the world I would think my daughter and I would need 50 pounds of sugar I do not know. I am not even going to waste time wondering why I did it, just acknowledge that I did.
That giant tub was reduced to the smaller tub you see in this picture several months ago when I managed to free this smaller container for the purpose and now, just a few minutes ago I successfully managed to liberate this tub as well!
The remains of the sugar now fit in my sugar jar and a re-purposed gallon container.
This tub represents much more than just a storage container for sugar. It represents my faith in the world as well. I used to think I needed to stock up, to prepare and now I know that I don't-that everything is going to be alright.
I am learning that panic is unnecessary when I run low on a supply, that it is actually okay to run out of something on occasion.
About two years ago I opened my refrigerator door and made a startling discovery--I was out of butter. It was the first time I had literally ran out of a staple in years. Well, honestly I don't know if I had ever ran out of anything before that--I was so surprised it took me ten minutes of digging through the refrigerator and freezer before I acknowledged it as truth, and another 15 minutes or so laughing about it.
The world did not end because I ran out of butter. It was an incredible relief. I had stumbled upon a fear I had not realized I possessed and I had lived.
After I finished laughing I ran to the store and got some butter but that event was a turning point for me. That was when I realized that I did not need to stock up to prepare for some unforeseen catastrophe. That was when I realized that the world was not going to end because I became low on butter or sugar or flour or whatever!
Since then I have been working to reduce some of the stockpiles I built up over the years. It is a slow process. I do not want to be wasteful so I have given away what I have not used up--and some of it is still in the process of being used.
This sugar tub was a big accomplishment along the same lines as that big bottle of cleaner I eliminated a few days ago. Now I have a big empty hole in my pantry that I can use for something else.
Now I have another plastic tub I can use somewhere else.
As I look around I am thinking I may be able to transfer the stockpile of rice (yes I went there too) into a smaller tub and free up an even bigger container. I don't think I can go there yet with the popcorn but that's okay. I see progress and that in itself is very inspiring.