The Duffel Bag

It’s morning—another beautiful day lies ahead. At least it starts out that way. Your night was restful. You feel refreshed, but it’s short lived. As soon as you wake up, you start THINKING. As you head toward the shower, you remember that mistake you made last week and how it might have affected your promotion. As you’re getting dressed, you think about your neighbor and how her dog did his business on your yard and she just left it there. “The nerve!” You prepare your breakfast, but your mind isn’t on it. Instead, it’s on the dinner you’re supposed to attend tonight. “Rats! Sitting through dinner with the Smith’s is going to be torture. Why did I agree?” As you brush your teeth you recall that the Chase bill is due. “Where the heck am I going to come up with that money?” You start to feel anxious. You’ve only been up for one hour. But wait, you’re not through.

Before you leave, you pick up the Duffel Bag by the door. It’s already loaded, probably couldn’t even be checked in at the airport without having to pay $50 bucks, it’s so heavy. What’s in it? Regrets (5 lbs.), guilt (7 lbs.), self-loathing (3 lbs.), loneliness (8 lbs.), fear (10 lbs.), etc. Before stepping out, you decide to add another 9 lbs.—4 lbs. of anxiety, and 5 lbs. of self-criticism.

You can barely lift the Duffel Bag; every day it seems heavier, and heavier. When will it stop? Your back is starting to really hurt; and you’ve noticed an increase in migraines. There’s some tightness in your chest, but you’re sure it’s just heartburn.

Distracted, you walk out the door, the Duffel Bag momentarily forgotten, and for a brief second take note of the beauty of the day—the cloudless sky, the birds chirping their morning song, the fresh scent of jasmine, etc. And then you REMEMBER—your Duffel Bag. You go back in and pick it up, immediately feeling the strain of its weight. But regardless, you carry that Duffel Bag all day, wherever you go. By the end of the day you’re exhausted. You wonder why.
Why? Because instead of starting out the day in the spirit of Joy and Exuberance, with a sense of Adventure, you carry your baggage with you. You allow your THINKING to dictate your state of mind. When you’d forgotten your Duffel Bag full of garbage, you were able to enjoy the beauty surrounding you. As soon as you remembered, the weight of it consumed you.

Think about what useless weights you’re carrying around every day. Things that should have been thrown out with last week’s garbage. And then throw your Duffel Bag in the dumpster. Free yourself from whatever is loading you down. You don’t need it.

Imagine the lightness of your step, the openness of your heart, and the smile on your face.

Imagine!