Put Aside for Dummies

Put Aside is a phrase that we use to describe the act of setting something or someone aside or to put it in a separate place or category temporarily. It's like when you have something important to do, like finishing your homework, but then your friend invites you to play a video game. In order to focus on your homework, you have to put aside the video game for now and come back to it later when your work is done.

Now, let's break down this phrase a bit more so it becomes even clearer. Imagine you have a big messy room filled with toys, books, and clothes all over the place. You want to clean up your room, but it feels overwhelming to do it all at once. So, instead of trying to clean everything up at once, you decide to put aside the toys first. You take all the toys and put them in a separate box or a corner of the room, organizing them and keeping them separate from the other items. By doing this, you have put aside the toys to deal with them later, and now you can focus on tidying up the rest of the room.

In a similar way, the phrase "put aside" can also apply to our thoughts and emotions. Sometimes, we may have worries or sadness that are preoccupying our minds and making it difficult to focus on other things. It's like having a big cloud hanging over us, blocking our ability to see clearly. In order to handle these emotions and thoughts properly, we need to put them aside for a while. We acknowledge their presence, but we consciously set them aside in order to give ourselves some mental space to focus on other things, like schoolwork or spending time with friends. It's all about recognizing the need to put certain things aside, whether they are physical objects or intangible thoughts and emotions, to create a sense of organization and clarity in our lives.

Furthermore, "put aside" can also be used to talk about setting aside time for something or someone. For example, let's say you really enjoy reading but often find yourself too busy to do it. In order to indulge yourself in your favorite book, you need to put aside some time every day specifically for reading. It's like carving out a special space in your schedule just for this enjoyable activity. By consciously setting aside this time, you ensure that you don't let other tasks or distractions take over, and you can fully enjoy the process of reading.

In conclusion, "put aside" means temporarily separating or keeping something aside, whether it's physical objects, thoughts, emotions, or time. It's like creating a separate space or category for something in order to focus on other tasks or activities. Just like organizing our belongings or setting aside time for our favorite activities, putting things aside helps us bring order and clarity into our lives.