WHY Declutter? — Treasures in Heaven

Entropy works against us consistently, creating disorder and chaos. That's the way of the universe now (after the Fall).

Nobody actually wants clutter. We don't set our new year's resolution to live a more cluttered life.

However, if we're not intentional about what we allow to remain in our life, we end up with unintentional objects, relationships, and achievements.

And who wants that? It's human nature to desire a meaningful life.

It's easy to be fooled, though. Worldly possessions can't fill the void within our hearts, which desire and long for more.

Because things are just things -- neither good nor bad. They can make us happy for a while, but that kind of happiness never lasts.

Guest Post: “A Note For My Eight-Year-Old Self,” by Sun Requiem

I am grateful to be featured on the blog of my dear friend and sister in Christ.

We Wander Through writes some great content — it’s always timely — so be sure to check the rest of her stuff out!

Don’t miss her guest post on Sun Requiem: A Letter To My Eight-Year-Old Self

We Wander Through

A guest post by Sun Requiem. 

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Photo by qi bin on Unsplash

A Note For My 8 Year Old Self

Oh, Gloria. You often wonder who you will be in a dozen years. (A lifetime and a half away.) Well, it’s me, and our twentieth birthday is just around the corner. You may not believe it, but I can, because I have watched the girl before me fight for each year in the life ahead of her.

I want you to know some things before you start growing up.

Although you may come last in every race you run and swim, you are far stronger than the world will ever let you know. Even though you shake and stutter when you speak, you are brave for even trying. That’s because ability doesn’t always reveal strength and courage: they are characteristics of your heart, just like curiosity and kindness. Likewise…

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The Virtuous Wife: Her Children Rise Up

A few nights ago I had trouble sleeping and began dwelling on my earliest memories to pass the time. As per usual, overthinking ensued, and this article was the result at 3 in the morning. At a more sober time, I began to realize that I had written a potentially hurtful piece on how my own mother …

First Semester College: An Honest Assessment

Last semester, my schedule could have driven anyone insane. Sometimes, you do just have to learn the hard way. This post will be more personal than what I normally put on my blog, because I typically hide behind the bigger ideas (of what I think and what I learn about society and science and the …

Thoughts on Turning 18

Today is special because it is a celebration of growing up. It’s a day of thankfulness and gratitude, to my parents, to life, and to knowledge. Today I am publishing this because I have spent eighteen years in the universe that we call existence. Sometimes I look around and wonder, what sort of world is this that my parents …

Passive female figures in Chekhov’s “The Darling”, “Anyuta”, and “A Gentleman Friend”

Known for his ability to recreate Russian life succinctly through representative anecdotes, Anton Chekhov creates female protagonists who uphold morals and expose flaws of Russian society through silent suffering and endurance. Due to their honesty and innocent malleability, these females are wronged and exploited as marginalized members of society. Olenka, Anyuta, and Vanda, from “The …

Fangirl Apologetics (♂♀) – Open Letter

Dear All,

The term "fangirl" gets a bad rap because it conjures up images of cooing hordes of women too old for their obsession. Teenagers hanging up posters of Justin Bieber and One Direction in their bedrooms. Wannabes writing less-than-stellar fan fictions. Immaturity. Hysterics. Dreaminess and idealism.

As with all stereotypes, there is some truth in that. But like the others, there can be so much more.

If you know me, you will know that I am a huge nerd about many things. From Harry Potter, Star Wars, and DC/Marvel superheroes, to string quartets, Shakespeare, Johnny Depp, and musical theatre, I've had many "phases", but I never look upon them as that way, not even in retrospect.

So in short, here's my statement defending the legitimacy of all the fandoms that I belong in.

The Paradox of Time and Experience

Does anyone else find our conception of time fundamentally odd?

We are said to be constantly inventing ourselves. We go through periods of change and growth. When we emerge from these, we are said to be new.

Yet inevitably time causes us to grow older. That's just the way it works.

We associate growth with youth. Youth is seldom associated with wisdom however.

Our tradeoff for wisdom is our youth.

When we celebrate new years and birthdays we say, "Look at me, the new and improved. This is my fresh start."

But the paradox is that in order to be new, you have to grow old. Our so-called old selves are younger, oddly.

Have you ever thought about that? Time doesn't seem to make sense. It's almost saying that those in the past - the old - don't know any better. The present moment is the oldest we will have ever been before we have gained even more time under our belts. The human who has had the most opportunity for growth and change has been cheated by time.

Here's the mystery: We shed our old selves to become older.

Some Universal Laws, According to Homer’s “Odyssey”

Recently I read the great Homerian epic, The Odyssey, and though I expected it to be difficult, the story was both grand and sensitive at times, and altogether very engaging. Simultaneously, I am also taking a Coursera class aptly titled Greek and Roman Mythology from the University of Pennsylvania (for free!). I've been working ahead a little bit and …

Original Poem: My Revelation

Here's one I had written from experience nearly three years ago now. I unearthed this recently and was reminded of how the younger version of myself experienced God, "surprised by joy", as C.S. Lewis would have put it. Oh! How I soared From that sudden energetic burst The earth was far below And I had …