Put Down Your Baggage
While it’s true that your past doesn’t have to be your future, a reader reminded me that letting go of the past is not always easy. But let go we must, if we are to move forward with ease.
Think of life as a journey. Along the road of life we collect experiences, some are light, inspiring and joyous; those experiences we treasure in our memories. Some are heavy and depressing, the things we regret, and the accompanying guilt we feel. Think of these experiences as baggage we collect along the way. As the heavy baggage accumulates our progress is slower, more difficult, we have more stops along the way to rest. We will still get to our ultimate destination, which is assured. But the more heavy baggage we carry, the slower the pace, the lengthier the journey, and the more difficult it seems.
Why do we choose to continue carrying the baggage? Why don’t we choose to lay down the heavy burdens of anger, regret and guilt, and keep the lighter treasures of love that inspire? Is this a self-inflicted punishment? Do we not deserve a lighter journey? Life is inherently easy. Why might we choose to make it difficult?
I think this is a matter of living out of love or out of fear. If I live out of fear, then I believe every act is measured against God’s judgment. And since I can’t be sure what God will decide, I assign a judgment myself. All the while fearing the worst, carrying my terrible burdens of fear along life’s path.
But if I remember that my soul is pure love, and that I am connected to the pure love of God and all other souls, then I can remember that pure love has nothing to fear. If, in my life’s experiences I’ve made choices that did not reflect my highest self, I simply can learn from them and move forward. I can choose to take a different path, make a different choice the next time. If things were done to me that seemed harmful, I can look for the positives that were available. Each experience brought me opportunity to experience my highest self. Pure love does not judge and does not condemn. So God does not judge and condemn me for my actions, nor should I condemn myself or others.
Is the baggage you’re carrying serving you in being who you choose to be? If your highest vision of self is victim, unworthy person, misfit, then yes, it is serving you. But if that’s not your highest vision of self, why carry the bags? Lay them down right now! Make a choice today. Examine each bag and decide if it serves you to continue carrying it. If the bag contains mistakes, then learn from each mistake and put the bag down! The learning will serve you, continuing to carry will not. If the bag contains anger for another, forgive them, for they simply brought you an opportunity to experience the wonders of life. By all means keep the inspirations; those bags filled with loving, joyous memories are treasures to be opened and re-opened. Re-visit them often, and re-live the joy each time.