I took the kids to the beach for a couple of days in April. It was fascinating to watch them pick up shells. My middle son filled his shirt with them. When the little one's hands were full he started giving them to me. At that moment I thought, "That's your stuff, why am I carrying it? I don't want the shells." I held them, of course, because I'm his mother. But, it got me to hearing (not thinking)... "This is part of life, there's always more and people usually want more. You can carry your own stuff and/or you can carry others stuff. The more stuff you have, the more the stuff controls you. " Basically, the things in our lives are transient. So are the people, to an extent. We help each other remember who we are, but we sometimes get caught in looking to others to define us. The bag became heavier and I had to cut our walk short. Talk about being controlled by stuff!What in life are you carrying? Does it belong to you or someone else? Can you give it back to them? Is there drama? What in your life can you live without? Can you drop it? I mean really live without it. That may be the very thing that is holding you back from moving forward. You might think it's holding you back from more or better stuff, but what if it's holding you back from inner peace, happiness, joy? In this moment, what will really make you happy? Can you trust Source/God/Universe to take care of it for you? This unwavering trust is what the mystics call faith.
Stuff takes up space, and space is what we are in most need of. Space is time, silence, and peace - a connection to Source. Ask yourself if you are in alignment with Source. It's the same as saying you're in alignment with God. How good do you feel? Are you looking to someone or something else to fulfill you rather than looking within? How easy is it for you to let go of control?
I've realized, so often we look to others or things to define who we are. If people respond appreciatively, then we decide we are doing a good job. If they respond negatively, then we beat ourselves up. All that really matters is that we be 'right' with ourselves before interacting with anyone. When we are right with who we are, we are right with God and that is all that matters. Stand in your integrity.
Every time we look to someone else to reward us with feedback, we are giving our power away. We are allowing them to define who we are rather than doing it for ourselves. And we are robbing ourselves of the opportunities for growth. So often, what we think others think of us, holds us back from being the incredible asset we really are. Isn't is so much more empowering to help others stand on their own two feet? You have so much to offer the world and you have your own version that no one else has.
The shells made my son happy for the moment and a whole bag came home from the beach with us. It sat in the garage for 2 weeks before I put them in the yard. The joy was in the getting, not in the keeping. The joy was in the experience and not in the having. Maybe this post is about shells, stuff, faith or power. However you look at it, is up to you. Release yourself from your burdens and dump your bag in the yard.
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