As we progress through life’s journey, we pick up things here and there, and we carry them along with us. Some of what we collect will make us feel lighter, more capable of easy flight; but much of what we lug around serves to weigh us down. Even when we aren’t actually traveling, we all have baggage.
It might seem that the best way to be of service to someone else is to help them carry theirs. Being present with aid, or advice, or merely a shoulder to help ease their burden… But the things is, we each only have two hands. It is nearly impossible for us to lighten the load of others unless we are able to put down some of our own cumbersome luggage. Truly, the best way we can help someone else is to spend some time and energy working through our own issues, in order that we may be present to help them work through theirs.
The only way it is possible for you to release our own baggage, though, is if you acknowledge it – claim it, unpack, sort through what you’ve been carrying around with you. (Maybe even do some laundry…) When you do this work, when you can own and release what you’ve been lugging around with you, not only do you make room for your own growth and facilitate your own flight, you make yourself available to help someone else carry their load. Only when you open your own suitcases and discard what no longer fits can you effectively use your strength to take on the weight of another’s “stuff”, and help them to do their unpacking.
What of your burden can you begin to claim today, that you may then leave it at the side of the road to be fully available to help shoulder the burdens of those you love?
~ Christiana
