What I Carry

It's been a very long time.

Since I felt carefree.

Light.

I've been thinking about this.

I honestly don't remember.

The last time.

I felt no care at all in the world.

The skipping, singing, happy kind of carefree.

The kind you sometimes see in children.

How about you?



Where did I start picking up things.

And decide to start carrying them?

Or does that just come from getting older?

I choose to carry stuff.

Worry.

Doubt.

Fear.

Responsibilities.

Burdens.

Concern.


And when I've not been careful.

And intentional.

The load can quickly pile on.

And I feel the weight.

Much I was never intended to carry.

Much wasn't mine to carry.

Things outside of my control.

Things I had no business picking up in the first place.



I met a woman in Kenya two months ago.

Margaret.

Margaret was a sixty-six year old widow.

Just a few years older than me.

Margaret's husband died when she was a young woman.

And she was left to tend this one acre farm herself.

Four times a day.

Margaret walked down the mountain trail near her home.

To a well.

And there she filled a three gallon pail of water.

Strapped it on her back,

And climbed 100 yards straight up to her home.

The interpreters on my team challenged us.

Suggesting the women in our group carry it back up.

I always hate to be underestimated.

So I strapped on the pail of water and headed up.

Much to my regret.

We did a relay of handing it off on the way up the hill.

I walked a ways and handed it off to Myra.

She walked a ways and handed it off to Kristen.

It took three of us.

To do what Margaret does four times every day.

I learned an important lesson that day.

Some loads we have to carry.

But many are meant to share.



And in my worry.

In my doubt.

And in my responsibility and concern.

I'm reminded to stop.

Take a breath.

And take a good hard look at what I carry.



"Don't take yourself or your circumstances so seriously.

Relax and know that I am God with you.

Stop trying to monitor My responsibilities -

Things beyond your control.

Find freedom by accepting the boundaries of your domain.

Do not miss the Joy of My presence by carrying 

the weight of the world on your shoulders."     Sarah Young