Putting Yourself Out There

I held my first Swap Meet this week-end. Here I am, fifty-eight years old and I've never sold any of my earthly possessions. We'll be moving in January and having lived in the same house for thirty-eight years, it's time to get rid of stuff. So a yard sale seemed like the perfect place. Slowly, over two months, I've been cleaning out closets, drawers and cupboards and lugging the good stuff that I will no longer need out to the garage in boxes.

On Saturday morning, I started putting out my loot. I was fortunate to be assisted by good friend, Dee, who had one yard sale under her belt, so she knew how it should work. She brought a table of her own stuff to sell. I was assailed by doubt as soon as I saw Dee's Stuff. Her stuff was infinitely preferable to my stuff. Could I begin by showing folks her Good Stuff and then end up by showing them my Bad Stuff? She quickly shushed me by saying that one person's Junk was another person's Loot and that was how Yard Sales went.

But it was hard, when those first people started coming and would critically examine my pile of stuff. I tried to imagine what they were seeing as I squinted at a pile of glassware. Where had those Canadian Mist glasses come from? And that plastic Coors beer mug? Goodness, we haven't even had an alcoholic drink in eleven years and I've still got those?! But slowly the pile of stuff disappeared. My biologists friends into fish bought three shark mugs; a hand painted canoe paddle was eagerly sought and almost fought over by two couples with one rising victorious and carrying off his prize; and a 'white elephant' of a piece - a giant ceramic seal - was ultimately captured by the lady who had lost the bid for the paddle. They were carting off my stuff with big smiles and I made a few bucks out of the deal.

So I took that first big step and put myself out there and my stuff for everybody to see. And it wasn't so bad. Turns out maybe my stuff isn't as bad as anybody else's stuff. Maybe not better, but certainly not worse. Makes you take a deep breath and relax a little.

It's that way too with letting folks know what you think about psychic phenonmenon and your belief in spirituality. Sometimes it's real hard to put yourself out there and take that first big step and begin the conversation. I usually try to edge into the conversation and use my Sixth Sense to see if the person I'm conversing with is simpatico with my beliefs or not. I certainly would never jam my ideas down somebody's throat. And I feel very uncomfortable if I overstep and find a person who is not a believer in the Afterlife. For the most part, I try to let the other person lead into that area before I affirm it. But sometimes, you do have to Put Yourself Out There. And so I shall, stepping carefully but sometimes.... I just take the plunge.