Pilgrim Pathway

How much weight can we carry?  I’m not talking about your physical structure, although many will make that connection.  I’m thinking more about how much can emotional and spiritual weight can we carry.  It may come in the form of questions, challenging our assumptions of living a healthy life, or even wrestling with big questions we didn’t know we had till the diagnosis.

Too often, we equate carry the load with a burden.  It may be true, experiencing a health challenge can be a burden, but what else can it be?  Aside from auto-immune diseases I’ve had since I’m a child, as I’ve passed through psychological and developmental phases, I’ve had to explore my sense of resilience.  I’ve had to go from “what if” to “what next”?  Don’t get me wrong, at times it can be a heavy load, but that’s when I explore solutions through activities, therapy, and/or spiritual direction/companionship.

I’m not one who believes, “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”  I do believe, like when working out, start small and increase the potential for solutions alleviating the load we carry.  It won’t happen overnight.  The first step in all of this is willingness.  Acknowledging the load and then taking a step, no matter how small, toward lifting the load.

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