Mile-Hi Church in suburban Denver is a very successful and well-known part of the global, New Thought community. I was never a regular, active member, but I have attended services and lectures there. It was led for many years by Dr. Roger Teel, who now serves as Minister Emeritus. He was also the inspiration for one of the three tenets I developed for Stage 4 Living: Lighten Your Load.
The inspiration came from one of his talks years ago that centered on a story about a walk he had taken with his young granddaughter. As children like to do, she would stop to pick up rocks or shells or whatever caught her attention. At some point she asked her grandfather to pick her up and carry her the rest of the way, which was when he realized just how much she had stuffed in her pockets and held in her hands. He told her she had to put some of them back down on the path before he would pick her up.
The lesson was about letting go.
Letting go of unnecessary burdens
Burdens are an inevitable part of life. They can sometimes plunge many of us into a deep, cold pool of anguish and despair. Other burdens are difficulties and grievances that are certainly unpleasant and unwelcome, but don’t seem worthy of the levels of angst and fear we give them.
What I’ve learned from my burdens is that they only become more difficult to bear when I worry, imagine the worst, fall into victimhood, and believe that life is hopeless and I am helpless to do anything about it. I’ve also learned that some burdens must be borne, while others are blips on the radar screen that are as fixed or temporary as we make them.
The burdens we must bear—because what other choice do we have?—are only made worse by the metaphorical rocks:
- Rocks we pick up along the way for some reason yet continue to hold onto for no good, useful reason.
- Rocks like grudges, resentments, limiting beliefs, and anything else that doesn’t serve us.
- Rocks that tumble around in our heads, becoming shiny and polished as we ruminate and fixate on them.
We can take inspiration from Dr. Teel and his young granddaughter. We can take inspiration from any baby or toddler who, when they’re done with whatever toy or object they no longer want or have use for, simply drop it.
Life comes with challenges. It’s much easier to bear the burdens that will not go away or get better when we get rid of the ones that will.
Gain more freedom, energy, and grace.
Lighten your load.