Keep It Light

Baggage.

It's the one of the first things we grab for when we plan a trip or when we arrive at our destination, whether at an airport (where we're glad we didn't lose it!), or at a hotel or overnight stay, where we'll have all the essentials we need to make ourselves most comfortable and ready for whatever we have planned.

This baggage is useful, necessary, to help us feel prepared and make our experience pleasant.

But, of course, this baggage is only for temporary use.

If we used it for every day, we would begin to find it cumbersome, burdensome, a nuisance. We would get tired of carrying it around. We would begin to get agitated, annoyed, and cranky. And we would wonder why it feels so heavy.

We would be tempted to open the baggage to be sure there were only essentials contained. And, of course, we'd be surprised with what we found:

Old arguments
Dirty Laundry
Cancelled appointments we never rescheduled
A broken dryer needing repair
Defeating memories from years gone by
A nagging sense of something undone
A lack of closure from an old relationship
Second guessing from decisions we made

No wonder it's heavy. And we wonder why our head hurts, our back aches, and our joints are tired. We desperately need relief from this burdensome baggage we're carrying around.

But what do you do with it? Well, it certainly shouldn't be ignored. But you can't keep carrying it around with you either. It's not necessary or healthy.

There are some steps you can take to lighten your load.

1) Write it down. Yep. If you record the issue that you are dealing with, airing all emotions, details, and grievances, you will find the load getting lighter just from venting. And often, in the process, you will gain clarity and even resolution to the issue that you hadn't thought of before. That is truly a welcome and needed benefit we could all use a little more of.

2) Center yourself. Use verbal or mental prayer/meditation to unload. This is also an essential step toward clarity and resolution. You'd be amazed as to what guidance you will receive and what your intuition can give you if you listen for it.

3) Take the next step. Yes, after writing it down and centering yourself and listening for what you can do to solve your problem, make a decision to do something about it! Don't put it off or procrastinate. That's how it became baggage in the first place. The step doesn't have to be big, but it needs to be a step nonetheless. You'd be surprised as to how good you'll feel once you've taken it.

4) Let it go. There are some issues that seem to cling to us no matter what steps we take. Or especially when we don't see a resolution to the problem. Sometimes that will happen. If there's nothing you can do, release it. Let it go. The Creator of the Universe has ways of doing things on our behalf we cannot do for ourselves. And sometimes when we do let go, a resolution finds its way into our path, especially in places where we least expect them. Life is often full of happy surprises!

When you've taken the time to do what is necessary to lighten your load, you will find the mercy that is new every morning and have a sense of purpose and peace for each new day. And that is certainly something to celebrate!

So, the next time you grab for some essential baggage along the way, whether just for an overnighter or a longer life sojourn, remember to keep it light.

© 2011 by Dawn Herring