What IS in your backpack?
By
Carole Blodgett
Everyone walks through life carrying a backpack. Some are heavier than others. Some of us have learned to lighten our load so we don’t have to struggle. Others work hard to build up strength to carry their load and take pride in how much they are able to carry. Some visibly struggle with their load, moaning and complaining but never unloading or even lightening their load. A few have learned to empty their backpacks and carry them, only to collect and hold things long enough to find out what they really need and then they empty it again. These are the ones I admire! These are the ones I seek to be more like.
Some years ago I spent some time in the mountains of North Carolina with a very wise old man. One day as I was making lunch my wise friend came into the one room cabin with a backpack and placed it in the corner near the fireplace. “One of these days when you feel like taking a walk, take this up to that big cedar tree, unload it and leave the contents under that tree; you will be tempted, but bring nothing back with you,” he instructed. I offered to take it now and he said, “No, just take it when you feel like going up there.”
A few days later the backpack caught my eye and I thought; it’ll be snowing soon, I better take that up now. Off I went not knowing when I left that I was about to climb my “Mt. Everest.”
I had not gone far before the weight of my backpack began to make itself known. It dug deep into my shoulders, as I struggled to make it up the mountainside. Soon a light snow began to fall making it a slippery slope. I would remove the pack and push it up, then climb up behind it. I was near exhaustion but I had made a promise. I felt driven by a force from within that I had never felt before. This force gave me incredible strength. Finally I could see that Old Cedar Tree. As I approached I realized I was feeling no pain, no stress. I sat in awe of the beauty spread out before me and lost all track of time. I began to notice things I had not noticed before…snow is not just white but shades of white with tremendous iridescent qualities. Snow has a smell that had escaped my detection. As the flakes landed on my hands could feel them melt and I could see the crystal structures dissolve.
Eventually I took off the pack and began to unload it. When I first caught sight of the contents I laughed out loud, but my laughter turned quickly to tears of joy as I pulled out the stones, one at a time. That wonderful Old Man had sent me on the journey of a lifetime, to carry a backpack full of rocks up that mountain. I cried over every one. They were painted with the words EGO, HATE, ANGER, GREED, LUST, jelousy, and FEAR. I traveled back into my mind and remembered the words he had shared by the Fire one night.
“Ego was given to man as a form of protection for our physical bodies, but as we grow it often takes control of our lives. Egos’ emphasis is on the physical and can overcome your spiritual self. When that happens:
HATE takes the place of LOVE.
ANGER takes the place of RESPECT.
GREED takes the place of GENEROSITY.
LUST takes the place of HEALING.
JeAlousy takes the place of TRUST,
And FEAR controls us.”
Hate, anger, greed, lust, jelousy, and fear weigh us down in life. I have CHOSEN to carry the things that have no weight: love, RESPECT, generosity, healing, and TRUST.
Ask yourself “What’s in my backpack?”
You can choose what you will carry.
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