For decades I carried a suitcase. Everywhere I went, I took the suitcase with me. Climbing up hills, running down hillsides. Flying across the skies, and swimming in the waters that run free. The suitcase came with me.
It was a heavy suitcase too. My shoulders were stiff and tired. Worn down by the years of carrying that suitcase. I just couldn't let it go. No matter how old it became, or even when I had to replace the old handle on the top.
One day, as I was climbing yet another mountain, lugging that ole suitcase in my arms. I decided that I was sick to death of carrying it with me everywhere I went. I stopped dead in my tracks, looked around me, and put the suitcase down on the dirt road. I walked over to the edge of the cliff and stood gazing out at what seemed endless green and trees. The sun was setting and the sky was filled with pink, orange, blue and gray colors streaked from one end of the sky to the other. I look down at my ole suitcase and had a talk with it.
“I'm tired and old. I no longer wish to carry you with me. Its been decades that I have bore you upon my shoulders. Decades since I could let you go. But I think its time now. Time to realize that I no longer can use you as an excuse. That I have to allow myself time to be free of you completely. And time to move on alone without you.”
I began to walk away, leaving the suitcase behind. My shoulders felt light, as if I could almost fly from the weight being taken away. I noticed I had a slight smile working its way across my face. I started to walk a bit faster. You know I didn't even bother to look back and see the suitcase behind me. I kept my eyes forward and walked towards my future. I no longer had any use for that ole suitcase. I was finally able to give it up and move ahead.
If you are carrying around a suitcase and its weighing you down, why not try to leave it on the side of a dirt road high in the mountains too. The suitcases, or burdens, that we all carry can weigh us down. They can stand in the way of us being able to see a new day. For we are so worried about that ole suitcase, all those ole problems of our past. Its time to let all of that go, time to move on.
There will always be someone who will carry that suitcase. But it no longer has to be you. Put it down and walk away. Look ahead and not back. Try to perhaps replace that suitcase with a baby riding on your shoulders instead. Or a new dress or suit of clothes. Or how about just letting the cold snow fall and rest on your shoulders. How light it feels. We all need to remember that we can not carry our burdens upon our shoulders our entire life. There comes a time when we must simply allow them to be left on the road of life. And allow ourselves a chance to be free of them and to seek a bit of true happiness. I hope you will decide to drop that suitcase right over the bridge too!
