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No Worry, No Stress

Blogs: #240 of 254

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I read a book, ‘The Pilgrim’s Progress’ many years ago and whenever I recalled the main character of the novel, it negatively affects my mood. The book described the journey of a pilgrim, carrying a burden of sin and guilt and whatever else, and with the passing years, the burden grew heavier. It was strapped to his back, and I, in my simple pre-teen mind could not understand why he was unable to release himself from the load. In the last section of the novel, the man was eventually able to free himself but after so many pages absorbing the negative energy, I was unable to celebrate his happy ending

To this day, whenever I see my friends and family being burdened, I remember that guy in The Pilgrim’s Progress and one particular friend of mine gets the gold on this one. If his sixth cousin once removed ex-husband’s grandmother is sick and he finds about it, he adds the stress and worry of it to the burdens he already carries. As you might have guessed, the coronavirus pandemic has not been treating him well.

Why do we carry problems from the past and those we anticipate for the future around with us like a heavy sack on our backs?
Why are we unable to rid ourselves of past guilt and fear?
Why do we make every body’s problem our own?
Why do we even welcome into our lives, the people that drain our energy and leave us burdened while they skip away, happy and lighthearted?

And for goodness sake, why do we worry about the future so much? I once asked a co-worker of mine this question and her response was “because we don’t know what could happen.”

I have my share of worrisome times, whenever my energy is low, (most times from giving it to someone else, not leaving enough for myself) worry rushes into my present moment and proceeds to aggressively destabilize me and before I know it, I have strapped back on my burden.

It is easy to say, just release the burdens but I say it fully sensing your derision. “life causes me to be stressed, you say, “shouldn’t I plan for the future, shouldn’t I live up to my responsibilities?”

My response is always “no, yes, yes but with no worry, no stress.”