All that you carry.
“Why am I prickly?” she asked. The very question showed a growth that was encouraging. I replied “Because you carry in all your interactions a fear of being hurt”. She stopped, thought about this for a moment, and then thanked me.
It was a simple interaction with a dear friend, but it made me wonder about all the things I carry into my relationships.
And how many of them I could just let go.
All of us carry a burden in life. Our load is different from someone else’s, and at some times it is easy to carry. On other days, that burden threatens to bring us to our knees.
Yet as I examine all the things in my life that weigh me down, I come to the startling revelation that many of my burdens could be left at the side of the road, if only I had the courage to do so.
The constant battle in my soul of comparison to those around me could be replaced with gratitude for the people in my life, if only I had the courage to be enough rather than perfect.
The never ending fight to overcome my fear of failure could be replaced with the joy of discovery if I only had the courage to accept the occasional mistake as a price for mastery.
The eternal need to ‘become’ could be replaced by the peace of ‘being’ if only I had the courage to accept myself as I am.
The incessant desire to not be vulnerable could be replaced by much deeper relationships, if I only had to courage to accept the possibility of hurt as the price for friendship.
I feel that so many of us have heavy burdens that we could lay down at the side of the road. We could then walk onward, with a lighter load, and a greater joy in our heart.
What are the burdens that you could let go of? What metaphorical rocks in your backpack could you discard on your journey towards happiness.
Today, I beg with you to leave them, and progress on. Our world needs you to be authentically you, so that you might have a greater potential to serve.
Lay down your unnecessary burdens, and find yourself lighter.
Lay them down, and become more, and believe.
-- Dr. Alan Barnes
@maddrbmusings